RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat booked for hate speech

Bantwal Rural Police book RSS leader for hate speech inciting enmity between communities, leading to legal action.

The Bantwal Rural Police on Monday booked Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangha leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat for allegedly “delivering hate speech with an intention to create enmity between communities”.

A statement here said that Mr. Bhat had delivered the speech at the Madhwa Palace marriage hall in Kavalapadur village of Bantwal taluk on May 12 at a programme held to condole the recent murder of a youth in the district. While addressing about 500 people at the meeting, the accused had delivered an inciting address that “could spoil social health and create enmity between communities”, police said.

As the speech could affect the law and order situation in the district, police booked Mr. Bhat under Section 353 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita. The provision prescribes up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine for making, publishing, or circulating any statement or report containing false information, a rumour, or alarming news that could create or promote hatred or ill-will between communities.

The Kadaba Police booked 12 persons on Sunday for holding a protest in front of the police station without permission, in violation of the offence of unlawful assembly.

The police were verifying the leaders of various organisations in the district in order to maintain law and order. Opposing the police action, accused Pramod Rai, Sharath, Shreyath, Tilak from Nandugiri, Mohan from Kerekodi, Chandrashekhar, Umesh, and Deekaiah from Noojibalthila, Mahesh and Sujith from Kutrupady, K. Radhakrishna, Jayanth, and three others held a protest in front of the station building, the police said.