An RSS leader, Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, has been booked by the Puttur rural police for allegedly making communal and inflammatory remarks during a Deepotsava event in Uppalige village, Puttur taluk, on October 20. The FIR was filed following a complaint by women’s rights activist Eshwari Padmunja, accusing Bhat of promoting religious enmity and insulting women through his comments.
Police have registered the case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions related to deliberate intent to wound religious sentiments, criminal acts committed in common intention, and promotion of enmity through electronic media, as the speech was reportedly broadcast on a private YouTube channel.
Padmunja’s complaint emphasized that despite Bhat’s past record of delivering communally charged speeches, he was again invited to speak at the public event. She urged authorities to act firmly to prevent the spread of hate speech, warning that such remarks threaten communal harmony and women’s dignity.
During his address, Bhat allegedly made controversial comments about the reproductive practices of a minority community and linked population growth to political dominance, suggesting demographic threats in certain constituencies. His statements have sparked strong reactions across Karnataka’s political spectrum.
