CAA: Kerala police registers case against Karnataka BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje for promoting enmity over tweet

The Kerala police has registered a case against Karnataka BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP from Udupi-Chikkamagaluru, Shobha Karandlaje, and four others for a fake campaign on communal lines on the social media.

Shobha on Wednesday made a social media post alleging that Hindus of Kuttipuram panchayat in Malappuram district in North Kerala were being denied water as they supported CAA. She also mentioned that Kerala was taking baby steps to become another Kashmir. She also shared a couple of pictures.

With the post triggering strong resentment, a police case was registered at the local police station under section 153 A of IPC for Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and 120 (O) of the Kerala Police Act for causing nuisance. Apart from Shobha, a local BJP leader and three workers of Seva Bharati were also arraigned for arranging the pictures.

According to the police, the allegation that Hindus were denied water was totally baseless. The region was facing acute drinking water shortage almost round the year. Hence various voluntary organisations and political parties used to supply water in tanker lorries to the locality regularly. There used to be no discrimination in water supply and the people were living with harmony. Hence the BJP MP's message was only intended at creating unrest, said a police official.

Malappuram district police chief Mr. Abdul Karim said that report would be send to Lok Sabha speaker seeking nod to further steps like recording statement and arresting the MP. The case was registered on the basis of a petition filed a Delhi-based lawyer.

Mr. Karim also said that several such cases were registered in the district over last few weeks for spreading misleading campaigns over CAA.