How BJP and mainstream media collectively twisted the facts in journalist arrest case

Shaastra Bhat Urimajalu | coastaldigest.com
November 15, 2018

Newsroom, Nov 15: The mainstream media in Karnataka has once again toed the Sangh Parivar line and showed its unwavering loyalty and unconditional allegiance to the self-proclaimed saviours of Hindutva by unhesitatingly twisting the facts in the case of arrest of a Kannada journalist, who had allegedly made offensive remarks against Prophet Muhammad at an event in communally sensitive Kodagu district earlier this month.

Santosh Thammaiah, whose articles often appear in Hosa Digantha and other right-leaning Kannada news papers and magazines, was arrested by the police last Monday night when he had visited his in-law’s residence in Madhugiri in Tumakuru district under Indian Penal Code section 295(A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings). The very next day he was released on conditional bail.

The arrest came a week after a complaint was lodged against him by Askar KV, a resident of Siddapura in Kodagu district on November 6 against Mr Thammaiah, who had delivered an inflammatory speech on November 5 at an “illegal” event organised by Prajna Kaveri, a Hindutva group at Gonikoppa in Kodagu district. According to police, the organisers had not even obtained permission for the event.

The hate speech

In his address, Mr Thammaiah had reportedly said the tenets preached by the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia centuries ago were full of intolerance and selfishness. He went on to claim that Tipu Sultan became the first terrorist of India by following the teachings of the Prophet. BJP activists had widely circulated the media reports of his provocative speech. The complainant also alleged Mr Thammaiah hurt the sentiments of Hindus as well by comparing Mir Sadiq (a minister who betrayed Tipu Sultan during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War) to Sri Krishna.

The complainant had expressed concern that such speech can lead to unrest and disrupt the peace in the region. The complainant also said that Mr Thammaiah’s offensive remarks were aimed at creating unrest between Hindus and Muslims.  Even though the police had initially ignored the complaint, they filed the first information report (FIR) after protest by local Muslims.

BJP’s misleading campaign

Within hours of Thimmaiah’s arrest, the social media team of BJP launched a campaign claiming that a journalist, who opposed Tipu Jayanti celebration by the Karnataka government, was arrested as part of chief minister H D Kumaraswamy’s Muslim appeasement policy.

Journalist-turned-politician Pratap Simha, who is also the MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency, was quick to denounce the arrest. “You timid govt, arrested my dear friend Santhosh Thammaiah. We vl fight it out (sic),” he tweeted. “Santosh Thammaiah who spoke about the brutalities against Hindus by Tyrant Tippu Sultan has been arrested by the Communal Government in Karnataka... (sic),” tweeted CT Ravi, Karnataka BJP general secretary and Chikkamagaluru MLA. “Arrest of Thammaiah is a sledge-hammer blow on the freedom of the press,” claimed Aravinda Limbavali, another senior BJP leader. “Santhosh Thammaiah, a writer with nationalist leaning arrested by coward Karnataka Police for speaking against Tippu Jayanthi .. We will fight tooth & nail against this cowardice act(sic),” tweeted RSS leader B L Santhosh.

On the other hand, the activists of BJP, Vishwa Hindu Parishat, Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagarana Vedike staged a protest in Madikeri on Wednesday and also called for a Kodagu bandh between 12 noon and 1 pm (lunch hour bandh?), which evoked poor response.

The role of media

While official mouthpieces of Sangh Parivar brazenly justified the provocative remarks by the journalist, other news papers and television channels that often proclaim their ‘impartial and neutral stance’ cannily hid his abusive statements and lied to people that he was arrested for opposing Tipu Jayanti organised by the Karnataka state government!

Leading English dailies such as The Hindu, The Times of India, The New Indian Express apparently refrained from disclosing the real reason behind the arrest of Mr Thammaiah and highlighted the BJP’s claim that he was “arrested for speaking against the celebration of Tipu Jayanti”.

The Press Trust of India, a prominent national news agency claimed that Mr Thammaiah was arrested for his “speech against the recent Tipu Jayanti celebrations”, while the official website of the Times Now directly claimed that he was arrested for “opposing Tipu Jayanti” and underscored a BJP’s leader's claim that “Hindus are under attack”.

The following is the copy of First Information Report (FIR) filed by the police

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Media Release
November 24,2025

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Sharjah, UAE: Ayisha Basheer Esra, a talented young writer hailing from Aramboor in Dakshina Kannada’s Sullia taluk, marked a significant milestone in her burgeoning literary career with the launch of her debut novel, The Betrayal of the Kingdom, at the Sharjah International Book Fair. The prestigious event, recognized as the world’s largest book fair, provided a fitting stage for the unveiling of Esra’s work.

The official release ceremony was conducted by Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director of the Religious Affairs Office of the Sharjah Government and a distinguished member of the royal family, underscoring the significance of Esra’s achievement. Mrs. Lini Shivaprasad, Principal of GEMS Millennium School, Sharjah, had the honor of receiving the first copy of the novel.

The event was graced by the presence of numerous distinguished guests, reflecting the widespread recognition of Esra’s literary talent and the anticipation surrounding her debut novel. Among the notable attendees were Syed Panakkad Munawwarali Shihab Tangal, Dr. Mariam Al Shenasi, the UAE’s renowned writer and Head of Dar Al Yasmin Publications, Dr. K. K. N. Kurup, Retired Vice Chancellor of Calicut University and Historian, Sharjah Businessman Shamsuddin Bin Mohideen, Nizar Talangara, President of the Sharjah Indian Association, V. T Salim, Director of Silver Home Real Estate, Munir Al Wafa, MD of Lipi Publication Akbar, and other esteemed individuals.

At the remarkably young age of eight, Esra has already established herself as a prolific writer, authoring and publishing collections of short stories in addition to her newly released full-length novel. Her dedication to writing and her exceptional talent have positioned her as one of the youngest authors to achieve such literary success. 

Esra is the daughter of Basheer and Haseena, residents of Aramboor, Sullia, and currently a student at Sharjah’s GEMS Millennium School. Her early accomplishments serve as an inspiration to aspiring young writers and a testament to the power of nurturing creativity from a young age.

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 29,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 29: Around 12,500 healthcare students from Medical, Dental, AYUSH, Pharmacy, Nursing, Physiotherapy and Allied Health Sciences colleges of Dakshina Kannada, affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), took part in a massive walkathon to promote awareness on Organ Donation and Nasha Mukth Bharat.

The inaugural ceremony was held at Mangala Stadium. Dr Bhagavan B C, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of RGUHS, delivered the welcome address. The walkathon was flagged off by Shri U T Khader, Hon’ble Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and presided over by Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, Hon’ble Minister for Health, Family Welfare and Dakshina Kannada District In-charge. Dakshina Kannada MP Shri Brijesh Chowta also addressed the students.

Music director Guru Kiran, MLA Dr Bharat Shetty (Mangalore North), Police Commissioner Shri Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Shri Manjunath Bhandary and Shri Harish Kumar were among those present.

Institution heads including Dr Haji U K Monu (Kanachur Colleges), Dr Shantharam Shetty (Tejaswini College), Dr Bhaskar Shetty (City Group of Colleges), Mr Abdul Rahiman (Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences), and the District Health Officer, Mangalore, also participated.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Prof U T Ifthikar Fareed, Syndicate Member, RGUHS.

The event was organised by Dr U T Ifthikar Ali and Dr Shiva Sharan (Syndicate Members), Prof Vaishali (Senate Member), Prof Mohammad Suhail (Chairman, BOS Physiotherapy), Dr Sharan Shetty (Former Senate Member), along with principals and faculty of various colleges.

Students marched from Mangala Stadium to Karavali Grounds via MCC and Lalbagh signal. The event set a record as one of the largest gatherings of healthcare students for a social cause in the RGUHS Dakshina Kannada Zone.

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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