9 May 2024: In a significant development, the Karnataka Police has issued summonses to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief J.P. Nadda and the party’s ‘IT cell’ chief Amit Malviya regarding a controversial post on the social media platform X, deemed openly communal.
The controversy arose after the Election Commission intervened on May 7, urging X to take down the contentious video. However, this action was executed with only 30 minutes remaining for polling to continue in the state, prompting questions about the timing and efficacy of the decision. Notably, the video had been circulating and shared multiple times for three days prior to its eventual removal.
While the Election Commission addressed the removal of the video, no specific action against the BJP for its content has been reported. It’s noteworthy that the Karnataka chief electoral officer initially instructed the state BJP to remove the post, resorting to contacting X only after the party failed to comply with the directive.
The animated video in question seemingly depicted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah placing a large egg labeled ‘Muslims’ in a nest already containing smaller eggs labeled ‘SC’, ‘ST’, and ‘OBC’. The imagery suggested favoritism towards Muslims over other marginalized communities.
This portrayal aligns with claims made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in several speeches, where he alleged that the Congress aims to redistribute wealth from Hindus and other disadvantaged groups to Muslims. Despite these claims, the Election Commission refrained from addressing the issue directly.
The Karnataka Police’s action follows the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) by the High Grounds Police station in Bengaluru. Both J.P. Nadda and Amit Malviya have been given a week to appear before the authorities to address the matter.
As the situation unfolds, questions arise regarding the responsible use of social media platforms during sensitive political periods, urging for greater accountability and transparency in political discourse.
