Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 29: BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje has appealed to union home minister Rajnath Singh to intervene in the matter concerning the arrest of journalist S A Hemant Kumar for allegedly circulating a 'fake' letter, and alleged that the Karnataka government is resorting to 'witchhunt' by arresting Hemant.
The 'letter' on the Lingayat issue, which the BJP claims to be genuine, has Karnataka minister M B Patil purpotedly telling UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi that bringing about a divide in the Lingayat community would benefit the state Congress.
Tweeting a copy of the letter, Shobha said, "Submitted my complaint to Hon. HM Sri @rajnathsingh ji regarding the gross misuse of Police machinery in state by the ruling Party. At the behest of HM, Karnataka Police is targeting BJP supporters. Vendetta Politics at it's peak, real emergency under Co-Ja Govt in Karnataka (sic)!"
In her letter to Rajnath Singh, Shobha said, "Karnataka government is indulging in witch hunt against BJP sympathisers soon after the concluding of Lok Sabha polls (in Karnataka)."
She further stated that M B Patil 'went livid' over the leakage over the letter to the media and denied having written it. "Police who were under pressure to act on the home minister's complaint arrested Mahesh Vikram Hegde, Post Card site owner. After two days of interrogation he was released," she said.
She went on to describe the arrest of Hemant Kumar on April 27, calling him a BJP 'sympathiser'. "Police allege that he is responsible for forging the letter and forwarding it to make it viral in Hubballi. Shruthi Bellaki, a religious activist was also arrested for posting a video denouncing Patil's attempt to divide Hindu religion," she said.
Shobha said that BJP leaders met DGP Neelamani Raju and demanded answers for "working under pressure to target BJP workers and sympathisers by foisting false cases on them", but the DGP "struggled to give convincing reply." Shobha further alleged that the CID who is now handling the case is also 'acting vindictively' to 'please the ruling party', adding that even the CID failed to give convincing answers to the BJP delegation.
She also referred to cases where Congress leaders Belur Gopalkrishna and Narayan Rao had used foul language and threatened the Prime Minister, adding that the police have failed to act on these complaints. "However, on a complaint by home minister, police swiftly arrest social media activists, journalist and religious activists registering false complaint on them," she alleged.
Claiming that Hemant Kumar had been 'falsely framed' in the case, she urged Rajnath Singh to intervene in the matter and direct the state DGP to 'stop vindictive reprisal against BJP workers'.
The controversial letter first came in the news just ahead of Assembly elections in May 2018. It appeared again in a Kannada newspaper ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, prompting M B Patil to file a complaint.
The investigation was taken up by the crime investigation department and a press release from the police states that a case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of People's Act on April 16. The police have claimed that the letter is forged.
Meanwhile, the BJP tweeted that the letter was genuine. "Congress exposed. The entire Lingayat & Veerashaiva community division was planted under direct instructions of Sonia Gandhi. The letter written to Sonia Gandhi by Congress leader MB Patil exposes shocking details of how she wanted to divide Hindu communities in Karnataka," read BJP’s tweet.