Karnataka BJP leader CT Ravi has been charged over his alleged hate speech made during a BJP protest on the NEET paper leak controversy.
CT Ravi, an MLC of the Chikkamagaluru constituency, while addressing a rally at Azad Park on July 23 to counter the Cockroach Janata Party’s protests over the alleged NEET examination irregularities, had made an inflammatory comment insinuating that Muslims are uneducated.
The complaint was lodged by Mudassir Pasha, president of the Jamia Masjid in Chikkamagaluru.
Pasha further alleged that Ravi branded Muslims as a “tukde gang” while referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens in India (NRC) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). It is stated that the speech, which was widely circulated on social media, contained derogatory references to the Muslim community and was intended to promote enmity, disturb communal harmony and provoke conflict between communities.
Chikkamangaluru Town Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Ravi for “making, publishing or circulating false statements, rumours or reports with the intent to create or promote hatred, ill-will or enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, language, caste or community, or acts likely to disturb public tranquillity”.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Rajya Muslim Okkuta, in a statement issued on Saturday, demanded Ravi’s immediate arrest, describing his alleged remarks as “shocking and highly provocative”.
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here.