Karnataka Congress files complaint against 3 BJP leaders over Rahul Gandhi video

Congress in Karnataka on Monday, June 19 has filed a police complaint against national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) JP Nadda, Chief of BJP's IT Cell Amit Malviya, and State President of BJP's Chandigarh unit Arun Sood. The complaint filed by Karnataka IT Minister and chairman of KPCC communication and social media wing, Priyank Kharge, and co-chairman Ramesh Babu,  accused them of disseminating "malicious, false, and incendiary content" targeting the Congress party and its senior leaders. 

Priyank and Ramesh visited Bengaluru’s High Grounds Police Station on Monday, June 19, and alleged that the BJP leaders deliberately spread information with the "intention to promote enmity between groups and incite as well as provoke." 

The Congress leaders submitted copies of tweets shared by Amit Malviya, which according to them “maliciously and falsely depict Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.” The video, circulated on June 17, 2023, on Malviya's Twitter handle, “not only aims to tarnish the reputation of Rahul Gandhi and the Indian National Congress but also instigate communal discord and misrepresent the party and its leaders,” Congress said. 

Rahul Gandhi is dangerous and playing an insidious game… pic.twitter.com/wYuZijUFAu

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 17, 2023

“The video showcases an inflammatory score, a distortion of the song. 'Govinda' from the movie 'Sarkar (2005). The lyrics have been altered to "Thodunga' (I will break), aiming to provoke and stir communal sentiments, a tactic that is morally repugnant and legally impermissible. This further cements the fact that all of this is an extensively thought out and well hatched conspiracy of the BJP and its leaders to commit the illegal acts. In fact, Shri Rahul Gandhi is shown against the backdrop of Manhattan cityscape, implying an association with foreign elements acting against the national interests. This false accusation is not only defamatory but also poses a threat to national security by sowing seeds of distrust among the populace,” the complaint read. 

The complaint also mentioned Arun Sood’s tweet, which according to Congress “demonstrates the malicious and criminal intention in creating and publishing this animated video.” It accuses Amit Malviya, Arun Sood, and JP Nadda of orchestrating the creation and publication of the video, aiming to defame Rahul Gandhi and create discord among the populace for their political gain. “These actions represent a calculated effort to distort the truth, tarnish the reputation of INC as well as its senior leaders, and disseminate harmful, prejudicial narratives, thus creating a potential for social discord,” the complaint read.