COVID-19: Cong accuses BJP leaders of making 'vituperative' statements

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress on Friday, April 10 accused some state BJP leaders of making ‘vituperative’ statements over COVID-19 aimed at “creating enmity” between communities and disrupting harmony and demanded that police take action against them as per law.

It alleged that the ruling party leaders were “ostensibly misusing” even the “killer COVID-19” pandemic to further their “oblique political purposes”.

KPCC President D K Shivakumar in a letter to DGP Praveen Sood referred to BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje’s remarks about “Corona jihad”, her party colleague Ananthkumar Hegde’s reported call that “Tablighi people should be shot down” and similar “vituperative statements” by two ruling party MLAs — M P Renukacharya and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.

Claiming that their utterances were offences under Section 153A of the IPC (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), he said there was a conspiracy to create enmity between two communities.

“Their statements have all the ingredients to incite communal violence and disrupt harmony,” Shivakumar said, urging the DGP to take suo-moto cognisance and proceed against them as per the provisions of IPC.

The letter was submitted to the DGP by KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed.

Despite appeals by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa that no one should target any particular community for the spread of the deadly virus, some BJP leaders have made controversial remarks.

Accusing some of the returnees of Tablighi jamaat event in Delhi of hiding and not coming forward for tests, Renukacharya had on Tuesday said it was not wrong to shoot such people.

He, however, had said it was wrong to blame the entire community for the misdeeds of a few.

Nizamuddin West in Delhi has emerged as a major epicentre for the spread of coronavirus after thousands of people took part in the Islamic congregation organised by the Tablighi Jamaat from March 1-15 and travelled to various states across the country with several of them testing positive for the virus.

Speaking to reporters later, Shivakumar said some people were trying to disturb peace by making certain statements and it was the duty of the DGP to take suo motu action.

Referring to the fight against COVID-19, he appealed to Congress workers to join hands with the government.

“We are waiting to see what decision government takes (on lockdown)…

we expect them to announce the decision soon,” he said, adding Congress would function as a constructive opposition and point out mistakes of the government in managing the crisis.

Stating that hospitals across Karnataka were running short of blood stock, the KPCC chief called on able-bodied party workers and public to volunteer and donate blood.

Shivakumar also urged party workers and the public to celebrate the 130th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar in a meaningful way by reading the preamble of the Constitution at 10 am on April 14.

The event would be organised in a simple way, because of COVID-19 and in line with social distancing requirements, he added.