Cong MLA warns against pro-Pak sloganeering, demands strict action

Bengaluru: Congress MLA Pradeep Eshwar on Wednesday issued a stern warning against those shouting pro-Pakistan slogans, insisting that such offenders must be booked under stringent provisions to deny them bail.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Eshwar said, “Whoever shouted those slogans should not get bail. We will invoke sections that ensure they remain behind bars. If someone dares to raise such slogans, what is the government supposed to do?”

His remarks came in response to a video from Bhadravati showing a group allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans during Eid Milad celebrations. The police have already registered a suo motu case over the incident.

Eshwar said he had urged the Home Minister to take the matter seriously. “I may not repeat the words that person used, but let me be clear: I hate an enemy country. I am requesting that such offenders be booked under non-bailable sections and put behind bars,” he added.

The MLA also took aim at the opposition BJP, accusing them of inflaming tensions for political gain. Referring to recent communal clashes in Mandya’s Maddur, he said, “We will take strict action against those who indulged in stone-pelting. We are not defending them. But the BJP is trying to set fire everywhere. That is what disappoints us.”

Eshwar also lashed out at BJP leaders for frequently invoking Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. “Every time there’s a law-and-order issue, they compare Karnataka with UP and say we need a Yogi here.

Does that mean all BJP chief ministers in Karnataka so far were useless? If they continue to make such irresponsible statements, we will take action against them,” he warned.

Meanwhile, the controversy deepened after BJP MLA B.K. Sangamesh from Bhadravati, at the same Eid Milad programme, remarked that he wished to be born as a Muslim in his next life. His statement, alongside praise for the Congress government’s decision to allow the Eid Milad procession, has sparked further debate.

Adding fuel to the fire, BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal declared on social media that he would soon visit Maddur. “Before I arrive, arrest the Muslim goons involved in the Maddur violence. If not, the protests will intensify,” Yatnal warned.

The political back-and-forth has heightened tensions across parts of Karnataka, with both Congress and BJP trading charges over communal incidents and their handling.