Bengaluru: The controversy surrounding BJP leader KS Eshwarappa’s “shoot the traitor” comment escalated on Saturday, as the Congress-led government in Karnataka filed an FIR against him. Eshwarappa, however, asserted that he was not intimidated by such legal actions.
The dispute erupted after Eshwarappa, during an event in Davangere, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enact a law to “shoot” two individuals he labeled as traitors – D K Suresh and Vinay Kulkarni, whom he accused of advocating for South India’s secession. Subsequently, a complaint lodged by a local resident led to the registration of a case by the Davangere Extension Police Station.
In response to the FIR, Eshwarappa told reporters in Shivamogga that he remained unfazed, stating, “I am not scared of 100 such FIRs against me on the principles related to nationalism and Hindutva.”
The FIR followed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement that legal action would be taken against Eshwarappa for his remarks, questioning whether such language befitted a leader of a national party.
Congress MP D K Suresh, one of the targets of Eshwarappa’s comment, challenged him to carry out the threat himself rather than waiting for others. He declared his readiness to meet Eshwarappa face-to-face for the sake of Karnataka.
Responding to the situation, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated that his brother, D K Suresh, was not intimidated by such threats and knew how to handle them, drawing attention to previous incidents where similar threats were resolved.
Former Chief Minister and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa defended Eshwarappa, claiming that some individuals were misinterpreting his statement. He clarified that Eshwarappa merely advocated for a law to punish traitors and that there was no connection between his statement and the subsequent backlash.
Other political figures weighed in on the controversy, with former BJP chief minister Jagadish Shettar emphasizing the need to adhere to certain limits in public discourse.
Meanwhile, Karnataka IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge criticized Eshwarappa’s intellect and relevance in politics, questioning the seriousness with which his statements should be taken.
In a separate development, Congress workers attempted to protest outside Eshwarappa’s residence, leading to their preventive custody by deployed policemen.
Read More:
