Bengaluru, Jan 12 (NationPress) A delegation from the Karnataka BJP, led by Opposition Leaders R. Ashoka and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, met with Governor Thawarchand Gehlot on Monday, urging him to refrain from approving the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, which was sent for his assent by the Congress-led government.

After presenting their memorandum, R. Ashoka stated, “We informed the Governor that Karnataka has descended into a goonda state. There is a lack of accountability, and jungle raj prevails. As the first citizen of this state, all directives are executed in your name. Given this scenario, we implored the Governor to rescue the state.”

Addressing the contentious Hate Speech legislation, Ashoka emphasized that the primary duty of the Karnataka Legislature is to engage in discourse and legislate; however, the Speaker and the Chief Minister obstructed adequate discussions under various pretexts.

Ashoka accused the Congress of employing the same “conspiracy” tactics used during the Emergency under former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1974. “This same conspiracy is resurfacing today under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Should the Governor approve this Bill, it would stifle free expression, potentially transforming Karnataka into a police state. How then will we safeguard democracy?” he questioned.

“We have appealed to the Governor to withhold consent for this Bill, which is perceived as a conspiracy by the Congress. It threatens to infringe upon the rights of the people and suppress freedom of speech,” Ashoka asserted.

He further highlighted the alleged assault on BJP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy and the murder of a Congress worker in Ballari.

“Regardless of the motive, a murder is still a murder. The investigation has lost its direction. Those behind the conspiracy remain untouched, and the case is being obscured,” he claimed, demanding that the investigation be transferred to the CBI.

While addressing the media, Narayanaswamy remarked that law and order in the state had deteriorated and that the government’s bias was brought to the Governor’s attention.

“The law and order situation in the state is at its worst. In the Janardhana Reddy incident and the murder of Congress worker Rajashekar, no arrests have been made. In Hubballi, concerning the assault on a BJP woman worker, an attempt-to-murder case has been filed against the victim. Meanwhile, in Ballari, a murder has occurred, yet no arrests have been made,” he detailed.

Former Deputy Chief Minister and MP Govind Karjol, along with Legislative Council Opposition Chief Whip N. Ravikumar, MP P.C. Mohan, MLAs S.R. Vishwanath and S. Muniraju, Legislative Council members Bharathi Shetty and Keshav Prasad, BJP State Vice President Malavika Avinash, State General Secretary H.C. Thammesh Gowda, State Chief Spokesperson Ashwath Narayan, State Spokesperson Prakash Shesharaghavachar, retired IPS officer Bhaskar Rao, Bengaluru North District President S. Harish, and Bengaluru Central District President Saptagiri Gowda, along with other leaders, were present during the meeting.