Karnataka: After CT Ravi, MLA Basanagouda R Patil booked for provocative speech in Maddur

Mandya (Karnataka) [India], September 12 (ANI): A day after an FIR was registered against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader CT Ravi, Vijaypura MLA Basanagouda R Patil (Yatnal) has been booked for delivering a provocative speech in Karnataka’s Maddur town for allegedly creating enmity between communities and hurting religious sentiments. 

With Maddur still tense following clashes and stone pelting during a Ganpati procession, MLA Patil visited the area in Mandya district on Thursday, delivering a speech which allegedly hurt sentiments. 

According to officials, an FIR has been filed based on a complaint by PSI Manjunath, who had filed a complaint against BJP MLC CT Rav too. 

Karnataka police has registered a case under sections 196(1)(a) (promoting enmity between groups), 299 (deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feeling, and 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief) of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). 

Earlier on Thursday, MLC and former Karnataka minister CT Ravi was booked for delivering a "provocative speech" in Maddur. 

According to the complaint, Ravi allegedly said: "When they are only 5 per cent, they are already showing their true colours. If they become 50 per cent, will our children and grandchildren even be able to survive? They will break society. Some conspirators, for the sake of votes, are trying to divide Hindu society. Muslims shout 'Pakistan Zindabad,' they plant bombs, they are called ISI. When Muslims threw petrol bombs at the Ram Mandir, they should have been taught a lesson back then. Today, this situation would not have arisen. You people who have come from outside, we are the ones living here. Don't try to challenge us. We will break your shoulders. We will take your heads too. We know how to break shoulders. The Hindu community has the strength to bury stone-pelters inside the very stones they throw."

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday took a jibe at the BJP leaders visiting the clash-affected Maddur region.

Shivakumar said, "They (BJP) have no other work. Their job is only to divide people. Their job is only to ignite fire. Their only work is to do politics. They have not done any development. Let them go to Delhi and bring NREGA funds, bring tax money," Shivakumar told reporters at his residence in Bengaluru, while adding, "let them get approvals for Cauvery, Mekedatu, and Mahadayi.”

Reportedly, the clash broke out when the Ganpati procession passed near a mosque on September 8. According to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the crowd was asked not to stay in the area for too long. 

On the same day, pro-Hindu organisations held a protest against the reported incident of stone pelting during the Ganesh Idol immersion. 

A total of 21 people have been arrested following the stone pelting incident and the subsequent protest, which broke out in response. Earlier, police lathi-charged the protesters in an effort to disperse the crowd. (ANI)