The Congress party in Karnataka has lodged a complaint against BJP national president J P Nadda, its IT cell head Amit Malviya, and state unit chief B.Y. Vijayendra for sharing a video on social media that is claimed to target Congress and their alleged intention of distributing funds among members of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities and religious minorities.
A letter addressed to Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer, Congress leader Ramesh Babu, chairman of the media and communications department of KPCC has written about the animated video shared by the social media account of Karnataka BJP which has portrayed characters of Congress leader Rahu Gandhi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The video shows SC, ST, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) portrayed as "eggs" placed in a basket labeled as reservation.
Further into the video, Congress leaders prioritize the Muslim community over SC, ST, and OBCs by allocating more funds to them, symbolically depicted by putting funds into their mouths.
Specifically, the video shows an animated character resembling Rahul Gandhi planting another “egg” symbolizing the Muslim community into the reservation basket.
“In the said video, it is projected as though funds are fed into mouth of Muslim Community and that the Muslim Community kicks out SC, ST and OBC community,” Ramesh Babu said.
The letter also stated that nowhere in the Congress party manifesto has it been mentioned that allocations of funds to SC, ST and OBC community will be cut and the same will be diverted to the Muslim community.
Ramesh Babu claimed that this depiction not only breaches the model code of conduct but also constitutes an offense under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act of 1989.
The KPCC further alleged that the video was posted on BJP's official X handle with an aim to garner votes in Lok Sabha polls.
"It is clear that the video social media post by them is to intimidate members of SC/ST community not to vote for Congress party by projecting that funds reserved for them will be usurped by Muslims," it said.
"The act of the accused person is to wantonly provocate rioting and promote enmity between different religions and is prejudicial to maintenance of harmony apart from intimidating members of SC/ST community not to vote for particular candidate and causing enmity against members of SC/ST community," the letter added.
“Hence, it is just and necessary to initiate suitable action,” the letter added.
