Bengaluru, June 16 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP filed a police complaint on Monday at the Bengaluru North Crime and Economic Offences and Narcotics (CEN) police station regarding objectionable social media posts against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A BJP delegation, led by Chief Whip in the Legislative Council N. Ravikumar and former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao, visited the police station and handed over the complaint to the officer incharge.

H. Venkatesh Dodderi, a senior advocate and BJP Spokesperson, is the complainant.

The complaint is lodged against one Hadimani T.F., who has posted a series of messages on social media against PM Modi.

The complaint states that the accused, Hadimani, posted defamatory messages on a Facebook page against PM Modi. These messages, it alleges, hurt people’s feelings and aim to sow disharmony among the masses.

Apart from the defamatory messages against PM Modi, the complaint also states that the accused had targeted state BJP leaders and posted humiliating messages about them.

The complaint further mentions that the accused posted a purported photograph of PM Modi lifting a woman, commenting, “What is this? Our prime minister had deserted his own wife.”

The complainant has demanded that the police invoke Sections 124 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 146 (unlawful compulsory labour), 268 (act of impersonating or knowingly serving as an assessor), 352 (intentional insult with the intent to provoke a breach of peace), 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), 353 (2) (3) (offense of publishing or circulating false statements, rumours, or alarming news with the intent to create or promote feelings of enmity, hatred), 499 (defamation), 502 (whoever sells or offers for sale any printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter, knowingly), and other relevant Sections.

The complaint also urges the police to book the accused under the Information Technology Act, lodge an FIR, and arrest him.

BJP MLC Ravikumar stated, “One person named Hadimani has uploaded highly objectionable messages against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These posts have hurt crores of the Prime Minister’s supporters. The accused, who edited and posted the photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a woman, should be arrested immediately.”

He concluded by stating, “Persons like Hadimani should be taught a lesson.”

The complainant, H. Venkatesh Dodderi, stated that the delegation urged the police to immediately lodge an FIR and arrest the accused. “We want to convey to the public that if anyone indulges in defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it would hurt the sentiments of the people,” he stated.

Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao stated that the police have assured them of initiating action in the case. “We have also requested the police to maintain vigil to contain the publication of defaming and objectionable messages against PM Modi,” he stated.

–IANS

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