BJP Karnataka social media officer booked for 'Muslim egg' post

BJP Karnataka's social media cell convenor Prashant Makanur was on Thursday, 9 May, summoned by the city police in connection with a social media post allegedly impacting communal harmony and disrespecting Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, other backward classes (OBC) and Muslim communities.

However, Makanur was let off as he had obtained anticipatory bail.

Earlier, BJP national party president J.P. Nadda and the party's IT cell national head Amit Malviya were issued summons in this connection too.

A police officer said, "Prashant Makanur was summoned for inquiry, and was enlarged on bail."

A case was registered based on a complaint lodged by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) with the Election Commission and the police on 5 May, alleging violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

In the complaint, the KPCC pointed to the video uploaded on social media platform X by the official account of the Karnataka state BJP on 4 May. It is alleged that the account is operated by Malviya's team, on instructions from Nadda and Vijayendra, the BJP Karnataka president and social media in-charge.

The complaint was:

'The said video posted on social media featured animated characters of (Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi and (Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah. In the clip, SC, ST and OBC community are portrayed as 'eggs' in a nest and it also suggested Rahul Gandhi planting (in the nest) a big egg labelled as 'Muslim' community. It is projected as though funds are being fed to the chick depicting the Muslim community, which then kicks out the SC, ST and OBC community.'

The BJP office-bearers named were booked under sections of the Representation of People Act and section 505 (2) — pertaining to 'Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes' — of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, the post in question was already taken down by X, the social media platform.

Based on PTI inputs