Bengaluru, Sep 14 (IANS): Karnataka government has booked Aaj Tak anchor Sudheer Chaudhary for allegedly promoting enmity between groups in his show.
The development has come amid the Opposition leaders charging the Congress government with slapping cases against those who raise voice against it.
A case in this regard was lodged by Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation with Sheshadripuram police station in the city on Wednesday.
The complaint stated that under the “Swavalambi Sarathi” scheme of the corporation, 50 per cent subsidy is given for purchase of vehicles by minorities. But, Sudheer Chaudhary in his programme on September 11 claimed that only one community is the beneficiary and majority are not getting benefited.
He also accused the state government of appeasing one community.
An official from the corporation had complained to the police. The complaint demanded action against Chaudhary for allegedly spreading false news and also his alleged attempt to stir communal disharmony.
The Karnataka government's scheme to provide Rs 3 lakh financial assistance to minority communities for purchasing taxi or goods vehicles has created a controversy.
Union Minister for State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar slamming the Congress government in the state, had said, "Here comes another example of shameless, lazy, appeasement politics by Rahul's Congress in Karnataka."
"Buy a vehicle for Rs 6 lakh, using 50 per cent subsidy, sell it the next day for Rs 5 lakh. Cool profit of Rs 2 lakh. Only available for non-Hindus and does not include poor deprived Hindu communities," he said.
"Shameless bribing of a community by using public resources meant for all Kannadigas. Brazen discrimination and violation of Article 14 of Constitution from a party that goes abroad and talks of Bharat's Constitution being under threat.
"State sponsored Conversion inducement. This is the appeasement and corrupt politics of dynasts UPA and I.N.D.I.A alliance," Chandrasekhar said.
Responding to Chandrasekhar, state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao had said, "You are forgetting that this scheme was there even during your BJP government. Don't let your blind hatred for the minorities make you look like a fool. Correct your stupid tweet."
Objecting to the scheme, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya had stated that to fund its freebies, the Congress is increasing guidance value by 30 per cent, has doubled electricity charges, hiked excise duty, milk prices, road tax and also plans to extract 5 per cent cess.
"Now Karnataka's middle class will fund a 'religion targeted scheme', specifically designed for minorities, that gives Rs 3 lakh as subsidy to buy vehicles. Congress goes to any extent to appease its core voter base even if it means to undermine hardworking tax paying middle class families," he stated.
The Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation Limited Scheme poster stated that under the scheme, a subsidy of 50 per cent on vehicle value or up to a maximum of Rs 3 lakh will be given to each beneficiary to buy auto rickshaw, taxi, goods vehicles. The last date for the application is mentioned as September 25.