The Karnataka BJP posted an offensive message on the microblogging platform X, and the Election Commission has ordered them to remove it. The party refused to comply, even after receiving an earlier order to do so from the state chief election officer.
Regarding the offending post, a first information report (FIR) has already been filed.
The Election Commission (EC) said in a statement, “An FIR has already been registered in the matter… However, the post has not been taken down yet.”
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee filed a complaint with the EC and the police, claiming that the video depicted Congress favoring Muslims over the lower classes when it came to funding and reservations, in violation of the model code of conduct.
The Congress said that the BJP seeks to “provoke rioting and promote enmity” in their complaint to the EC.
A case was subsequently filed by the Bengaluru police against state president BY Vijayendra, head of the information technology cell Amit Malviya, and national president JP Nadda of the BJP.
Today marked the second and last round of voting in the Lok Sabha elections for 14 Karnataka seats, which result in the election of 28 MPs to the legislature. On April 26, the remaining 14 seats went to vote. The count is set for June 4.
The BJP nearly won a landslide victory in the 2019 elections, taking 25 of the 28 seats. Only one seat was won by each of the coalition parties in the state administration, the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular).
