FIR Over BJP's Post Comparing Indira Gandhi to Hitler, Congress Protests Erupt in Karnataka

A political storm has erupted in Karnataka over a controversial post by the state BJP unit on social media platform X, targeting former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The post, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Emergency on June 25, triggered widespread outrage, leading to an FIR and Congress-led protests.

What Sparked the Controversy?

As part of its "Samvidhan Hatya Diwas" (Constitution Murder Day)

campaign, BJP Karnataka shared a video and a post comparing Indira Gandhi to Adolf Hitler, accusing her of throttling democracy during the Emergency. The post said:

"The country can never forget the cruelty of Indira Gandhi. She pushed democracy, law, and judiciary into darkness — a symbol of her authoritarian rule."

A 38-second video accompanied the post, which was later deleted. However, by then, it had already stirred a massive backlash.

FIR Filed, BJP Accused of Hate Speech

Following the post, KPCC General Secretary S. Manohar

lodged a complaint, stating the content was derogatory and allegedly aimed at inciting communal tension. The FIR was registered at High Grounds Police Station in Bengaluru.

Congress Hits Back with Protests

In response, Karnataka Congress workers staged a protest outside BJP offices. The police eventually detained several protesters, but the political tension remained high.

DK Shivakumar Slams BJP

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar lashed out at the BJP, stating:

"They keep talking about the Emergency for propaganda. Indira Gandhi won the 1980 election because the people trusted her. She sacrificed her life for the country."
He added that the matter of the Emergency is long over, but the BJP is trying to revive it to deflect from real issues.