The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has condemned the filing of the FIR against Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, while the Democratic Youth Federation of India state president Muneer Katipalla questioned the state government’s reluctance to arrest him.
Team Clarion
SRIRANGAPATNA – The Karnataka Police have registered a case against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat for allegedly promoting religious hatred during a speech in Mandya District.
The FIR was filed at the Srirangapatna town police station following a complaint by former Janata Dal (S) member and activist Najma Nazeer.
Addressing a Sankeerthana Yatra organised by Hindu Jagrana Vedike as part of Hanuman Jayanthi celebrations, the RSS leader allegedly made some inflammatory remarks. According to the complaint, he stated, “Muslim women did not have a permanent husband every day. The Modi government gave permanent husbands. Not just Muslim men, even Muslim women are cheating through Love Jihad. Don’t you have men and women (in your community)?”
The FIR includes charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including outraging the modesty of a woman, obscene acts and songs, criminal intimidation, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, and deliberately intending to hurt religious feelings.
In her complaint Najma also alleged that Bhat criticised the judiciary during his speech.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has condemned the filing of the FIR against Bhat, while the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) state president Muneer Katipalla questioned the state government’s reluctance to arrest Bhat. He emphasised that the statements made by Bhat against Muslim women warrant action and called on the government to address the issue promptly.
The case has ignited a debate on freedom of speech and the responsibility of leaders to promote communal harmony. Critics argue that such remarks contribute to polarisation of communities, while supporters claim that they are protected under the right to express opinion. The incident reflects the ongoing tensions around religious discourse in the country and raises questions about the appropriate boundaries for public speech.
