Kerala Police Register FIR Against BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje Over Alleged Communal Tweet

The Kerala police has registered an FIR against BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje over her tweet which allegedly had communal overtones.

Karandlaje, BJP MP from Udupi-Chiakmagalur, had tweeted on Wednesday that Hindus of Kuttippuram Panchayath of Malappuram district were denied water supply for supporting CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019).

Stating that this was a false alarm, a police complaint was lodged by one Advocate Subhash Chandran. He said that the owner of a private well had asked the nearby residents to look for other sources due to water shortage.

The complainant contended that the BJP MP was trying to disrupt communal harmony. As a person hailing from Kuttippuram, he said that the tweet might hurt the religious sentiments of the people where the Hindus and Muslims live in unity. The Superintendent of Police was urged to take action against Ms. Shobha Karandlaje under Section 153 A of IPC as well as under other appropriate laws for promoting disharmony and enmity between Hindus and Muslims.

Acting on the complaint, Malappuram police lodged an FIR against Shobha Karandlaje and two other Sevabharathi activists under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between groups) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.