Mangaluru: A delegation of the BJP Mahila Morcha on Thursday submitted a memorandum to Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Arun K, demanding strict action against an individual accused of posting defamatory and derogatory content against Sullia Assembly constituency MLA Bhagirathi Murulya on social media.
Members of the BJP Mahila Morcha alleged that the content, which included a so-called ‘shraddhanjali’ (homage) post for the MLA despite her being alive, was offensive, defamatory, and intended to insult and provoke. They urged the police to act swiftly and arrest the accused to prevent the spread of such content and deter similar incidents in the future.
Mahila Morcha condemns social media post
BJP Mahila Morcha Dakshina Kannada president Manjula Rao strongly condemned the incident, stating that writing a ‘shraddhanjali’ for a living person reflected a disturbed and perverse mindset. She said such posts were unacceptable and hurtful, not only to the MLA and her family but also to party workers and the public.
“Someone with a disturbed mind has shared that post on MLA Bhagirathi Murulya on social media. Writing a ‘shraddhanjali’ for a person who is alive is not right under any circumstances,” Rao said. She added that she was unaware of the background or motives of the person who uploaded the content but stressed that the act itself warranted strict legal action.
Demand for arrest and warning of protests
Rao said the Mahila Morcha had appealed to the government and the police to arrest the accused at the earliest. Expressing confidence in the police, she said the organisation was hopeful that necessary action would be taken without delay.
“We are hopeful that the police will arrest the accused and take appropriate action as per law. If the police fail to act, we will intensify our protest,” she warned, indicating that the party was prepared to escalate the matter if justice was not delivered promptly.
BJP district unit announces protest
Meanwhile, the BJP district unit announced that it would hold a protest in front of the Mangaluru taluk office on Thursday. The protest is aimed at condemning the derogatory and defamatory social media post and demanding stringent action against the person responsible.
Party leaders said the protest was also intended to send a strong message against the misuse of social media platforms to spread offensive and provocative content targeting public representatives.
Police register case under BNS
Superintendent of Police Arun K confirmed that a case has been registered in connection with the incident. He said the Bantwal Rural police station had booked an individual identified as Sandesh, also known as Seetharam, a resident of Bantwal taluk.
According to the SP, the accused allegedly posted defamatory text along with a photograph of the Sullia MLA on Facebook. The case has been registered under Section 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace.
Investigation under way
The SP said that an investigation is currently under way and that police are examining the social media post, digital evidence, and other relevant material. He added that further action would be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.
Police officials have reiterated that misuse of social media to defame individuals or provoke unrest will be dealt with strictly under the law. They also appealed to the public to use social media responsibly and refrain from sharing content that could hurt sentiments or disturb public peace.
Conclusion
The incident has sparked strong reactions from BJP leaders and party workers, who see it as a serious misuse of social media aimed at tarnishing the image of an elected representative. With a police case already registered and protests announced, the matter is expected to draw further attention in the coming days as the investigation progresses.