BJP MP Shobha booked for her ‘provocative’ tweet

Shobha Karandlaje, BJP candidate for Udupi-Chikmagalur parliamentary constituency. (Single Column Pic).

The Honnavar police have booked BJP MP for Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Shobha Karandlaje for giving “provocation to cause riot” through her tweet about the recent incident of a girl allegedly being attacked at Magodu village, Honnavar. It subsequently turned out that the girl had inflicted injuries on herself out of fear after a local youth had stalked and threatened her.

The alleged attack had acquired a communal colour in Honnavar, which was gripped by communal tension. “Jihadis tried to rape and murder girl studying in 9th std near Honnavar. Why is the govt. silent about this incident? Arrest those who molested and injured this girl. Where are you CM,” Ms. Karandlaje had tweeted on December 14.

The Honnavar police have registered a

suo motu case booking the MP under section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153A (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code on Thursday night.

However, Ms. Karandlaje was unapologetic about her tweet. Speaking to

The Hindu, she continued to claim that the girl was indeed attacked by “jihadis” and that was what the girl had told the doctors immediately after the incident. “The police have threatened the girl and made her retract her statements and the State government is burying the case,” she claimed.