Karnataka Congress files complaint against BJP leaders over controversial video depicting Muslims, Rahul Gandhi

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP leaders JP Nadda, Amit Malviya, and BY Vijayendra for allegedly sharing a video on social media platforms that aims to "intimidate" members of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, discouraging them from voting for the Congress party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The complaint, filed by Ramesh Babu, Chairman of Media and Communication of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee ( KPCC ) said, "... the tenor of video... is in nature of intimidating persons belonging to SC/ST Community that leaders of Congress party are likely to favour Muslims at cost of SC/ST Community. Since, elections to Lok Sabha is being held on 07/05/2024 in 14 constituencies, the video post of BJP on their official social media handle is nothing but intimidating SC/ST community not to cast a vote to Congress. This is a clear case of intimidating SC/ST community members and further projecting SC/ST community people in a bad light showing them as 'Eggs' and being kicked by another religion i.e., Muslims."

The complaint, further said, "It is unfathomable as to how the State Level Media Monitoring committee approved this video to be uploaded by BJP. In the event of non-certification, why has no action been initiated for using an animated image/video of Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah and also defaming the SC/ST and OBC community people by projecting them as 'EGG'?

The complaint further asserts that the BJP's intention behind posting the video on their official X handle is to seek votes in the Lok Sabha Elections by portraying the Congress party as favoring the Muslim community .

"However, the act of J.P.Nadda, National President- Bharatiya Janata Party, Amit Malviya National Social Media Incharge Bharatiya Janata Party, BY Vijayendra-State President-Karnataka BJP and Social Media incharge- Karnataka BJP is to portray the SC and ST Community in derogatory manner and the act showing SC and ST community being "kicked" by another religion (Muslim) is with an intent to prevent or intimidate a member of Schedule caste or tribe to not vote for a particular candidate attracting offense punishable under Section 3(L)(A) of SC/ST POA Act 1989. It is clear that the video on social media posted by aforesaid persons 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," the complaint stated.

The day before, the official X handle of BJP Karnataka posted an animated video with the caption 'Beware.. Beware.. Beware..!' in Kannada. The video depicted caricatures of Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah placing an egg with 'Muslims' written on it in a nest along with three eggs marked as 'SC, ST, and OBC.'

The video further depicted the caricature of Rahul Gandhi feeding 'funds' only to the bird that hatched out of the 'Muslim' egg.