Bengaluru, Nov 30 (IANS): As the political atmosphere heats up in Karnataka over the “disenfranchisement of Muslims” demand by Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swami, the Karnataka Police on Saturday issued summons to the Vokkaliga seer asking him to appear before it for questioning on December 2.
The summons to the seer come amid a warning by the BJP of “consequences” if the powerful Vokkaliga seer is troubled for his statement seeking disenfranchisement of Muslims.
The Upparpet police who earlier booked the FIR against the seer have asked him to appear before them at 11 A.M. on December 2.
The move is likely to trigger a controversy and confrontation between the BJP and the Congress government in the state.
Karnataka Police slapped an FIR on Friday against Swami for his controversial remark demanding disenfranchisement of Muslims in India on a police complaint lodged by one Syed Abbas in this regard.
Swami heads the Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt and the statements were made at a protest on Tuesday in Bengaluru, organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a farmers’ organisation linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to condemn the Waqf Board’s notices to farmers.
Swami stated, “Politicians indulge in vote bank politics and appeasement of Muslims. Hence, Muslims should be deprived of exercising their voting powers. This should be done and the end of vote bank politics would help the progress of the country.”
Swami said that in Pakistan, people of other religions, barring the Muslim majority, do not have the power to vote and added that if this is adopted in India, Muslims will keep to themselves and there will be peace in the country. “Everyone can live in peace,” he stated.
The filing of the FIR against him had taken a serious political turn with a Karnataka BJP delegation visiting him on Friday and warning of “serious consequences” if he was booked by the police.
The police have lodged an FIR under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the seer.
The complaint stated that the statement by the seer was provocative and threatens to disturb communal harmony in society.
The BJP delegation’s visit to the powerful Vokkaliga seer was headed by Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and former Deputy CM and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan.
Ashoka issued a strong warning to the Karnataka government stating that, “The Congress party’s hatred toward Vokkaligas is disgraceful. If the government dares to target Swamiji, the entire Vokkaliga community will rise against it.
“If the Congress government attempts to take action against Vokkaliga seer Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swami, the head of the Vishwa Vokkaliga Mahasamsthana Mutt, the entire Vokkaliga community will rise in protest.”