Disenfranchising of Muslims remark: Police file FIR against Vokkaliga seer

Bengaluru: Karnataka Police slapped an FIR on Friday against Vokkaliga seer Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swami for his controversial remark demanding disenfranchisement of Muslims in India.

The Upparpet police in Bengaluru lodged the FIR following a complaint in this regard under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The complaint stated that the statement by the seer was provocative and threatens to disturb communal harmony in society.

Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swami’s statement on Tuesday demanding disenfranchisement of Muslims in India had stirred a controversy in Karnataka.

He heads the Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt and the statements were made at a protest on Tuesday in Bengaluru, organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a farmers’ organisation linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to condemn the Waqf Board’s notices to farmers.

The seer had stated, “Politicians indulge in vote bank politics and appeasement of Muslims. Hence, Muslims should be deprived of exercising their voting powers. This should be done and the end of vote bank politics would help the progress of the country.”

The Swami said that in Pakistan, people of other religions, barring the Muslim majority, do not have the power to vote and added that if this is adopted in India, Muslims will keep to themselves and there will be peace in the country. “Everyone can live in peace,” he stated.

The seer’s remarks went viral and led to a furore in the state. On Thursday the seer regretted his remarks and stated that Muslims were Indian citizens and do not belong to any other country. The seer backtracked from his statement alleging a “slip of the tongue.”

“The forum was about addressing the woes of farmers who are troubled by the Waqf Board. Against this backdrop, I made the remarks. It was a slip of the tongue. I should not have made the statements. Muslims are Indian citizens and they do not belong to other countries. I request you to end the matter at this stage and do not drag it further,” the seer told media persons.