Karnataka Politics: Former Minister CN Ashwath Narayan booked for ‘Tipu Siddaramaiah’ remark

Karnataka's former Higher Education Minister CN Ashwath Narayan got into hot water with an FIR being filed against him for his “finish off Siddaramaiah like Tipu Sultan” remark.

Narayan had, at a public meeting in February, compared Siddaramaiah to Tipu Sultan and claimed the latter did not die fighting the British, but was killed by two Vokkaliga chieftains, Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda. The Karnataka BJP MLA said that if the BJP was not voted to power, “Tipu Siddaramaiah” would come and the Congress would face the same fate Tipu Sultan faced at the hands of Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda.

Soon after the remarks were made, Siddaramaiah had lashed out at Narayan, accusing him of “instigating people”. The Karnataka Congress unit had filed a police complaint against Narayan but an FIR was not registered.

FIR registered at Devaraja police station

On Wednesday, a delegation of Congress leaders led by Mysuru District Congress Committee president BJ Vijaykumar went to Devaraja police station and submitted a fresh complaint, following which an FIR was lodged against the former minister under Sections 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) of the Indian Penal Code.

Narayan had claimed that his words were “misconstrued”. “I was only alluding to the fact that Congress should be defeated in the 2023 Assembly elections,” he had said.

The BJP leader said he will face the issue politically as well as legally. “Debate is an integral part of politics & essential for a healthy democracy. It is in this spirit that my words should be interpreted,” he tweeted.