A delegation from the Bharatiya Janata Party's women's wing, the Mahila Morcha, has formally approached the police in Mangaluru, demanding strict legal action against an individual accused of posting highly derogatory and defamatory content about a sitting legislator on social media.
Delegation Submits Memorandum to Top Cop
On Thursday, the BJP Mahila Morcha from Dakshina Kannada district submitted a detailed memorandum to the district's Superintendent of Police, Arun K. The memorandum specifically sought immediate action against the accused for creating and sharing content deemed defamatory towards Bhagirathi Murulya, the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing the Sullia constituency.
Leading the delegation, Manjula Rao, the president of the BJP Mahila Morcha for Dakshina Kannada, strongly condemned the incident. She expressed outrage over the nature of the post, which reportedly included a photo of the MLA alongside text that was insulting and inappropriate. "It is not right to write 'shraddhanjali' (homage) for a person who is alive," Rao stated, highlighting the offensive content.
Police Register Case, Investigation Underway
In response to the complaint, SP Arun K confirmed that a formal case has been registered at the Bantwal Rural police station. The accused has been identified as an individual named Sandesh, also known as Seetharam, who hails from Bantwal taluk.
The police official detailed that the case pertains to an allegedly defamatory text posted along with the MLA's photograph on the social media platform Facebook. The case has been registered under Section 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. Authorities have assured that a thorough investigation into the matter is currently in progress.
Political Protest Planned Amid Calls for Arrest
Manjula Rao emphasized the seriousness with which the party views this attack on their elected representative. She clarified that the Morcha had no knowledge of the background of the person who shared the post, attributing it to someone with a "disturbed mind." "We appealed to the government to arrest the accused. We are hopeful that police will arrest him and take necessary action," she said.
Rao also issued a warning, indicating that the party would escalate its response if the police failed to act promptly. "We will intensify the protest if police fail to act," she asserted.
Echoing this stance, the BJP's district unit announced its plan to stage a protest. A demonstration is scheduled to be held in front of the Mangaluru taluk office on Thursday. The protest is directed against the individual accused of having a "perverse mind" for creating and disseminating the derogatory content online.
The incident has sparked a significant political reaction in the coastal district, putting the spotlight on the misuse of social media to target public figures and the subsequent demands for accountability under the law.
