Bangalore Rural Congress MP D K Suresh on Friday urged the police to arrest Horticulture Minister Munirathna even as the party’s Rajarajeshwari Nagar candidate Kusuma Hanumantharayappa filed a police complaint accusing the BJP leader of “inciting hatred” between Kannadigas and Tamils.
In a purported video, Munirathna is seen urging locals at RR Nagar constituency in Tamil to "attack anyone" who sets foot there. The video shows the minister assuring the people that he will "protect them".
Suresh alleged that Munirathna was inciting hatred by causing a rift between Kannadigas and Tamilians in the RR Nagar constituency. "He has provoked people against a Vokkaliga woman (Kusuma)," he charged.
Denying the claim, Munirathna said he was trying to tell people not to entertain those who did not come to their help all these years. "They are trying to defame me. What I tried to tell people was not to entertain those who didn't help them in distress. During Covid time, they didn't help anyone...," Munirathna defended himself.
"I did not insult the Kannada language and I even sang a Kannada song on the occasion which is not highlighted by those trying to defame me," he asserted.
Published 31 March 2023, 17:24 IST