Bengaluru, April 7 (NationPress) A group from the Karnataka branch of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formally submitted a complaint against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to State Director General and Inspector General of Police M.A. Saleem on Tuesday. The complaint alleges that Kharge delivered a provocative speech during an election rally in Assam.

The BJP leaders are demanding Kharge's immediate arrest for purportedly inciting violence and are requesting tightened security measures to protect BJP members.

In their complaint, they claimed that during his address to a public gathering, Kharge likened the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to a 'poisonous snake', suggesting that such rhetoric could provoke violence against party affiliates.

According to the BJP delegation, Kharge's comments were inflammatory and posed a threat to the safety of millions of BJP and RSS supporters nationwide.

They emphasized that, as the leader of a national political entity, Kharge has a significant responsibility, and his statements could lead to serious repercussions.

Additionally, they argued that his speech might disrupt public order and incite misguided individuals to target members of the Sangh Parivar.

Referring to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the complaint highlighted Sections 196, 197, 299, and 353, which pertain to fostering enmity among communities, acts detrimental to national unity, outraging religious sentiments, and disseminating comments that could instigate fear or violence.

The delegation urged the police to take swift legal action under these legal provisions.

Moreover, they referenced the Supreme Court ruling in the Shaheen Abdulla vs Union of India (2022) case, which mandated law enforcement to act on instances of alleged hate speech without awaiting formal complaints.

The BJP leaders voiced concerns about the law and order situation in Karnataka, where the Congress party currently governs, asserting that such remarks could empower anti-social elements.

They also pointed to previous statements made by state Minister Priyank Kharge, suggesting a consistent pattern of hostility towards the RSS.

A transcript of the relevant speech was included with the complaint.

As of now, there has been no response from either the Congress party or Mallikarjun Kharge regarding the allegations.

The delegation included notable figures such as MLAs S. Muniraju, C.K. Rammurthy, Dheeraj Muniraju, Bengaluru North District BJP President S. Harish, Central District President Saptagiri Gowda, and State BJP Spokesperson S. Prakash.