Bharat Bandh gets support from 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kissan' in Karnataka

News Network

December 8, 2020

Bengaluru, Dec 8: 'Bharat Bandh' received support from a rare corner even as there was widespread response for the call in Karnataka on Tuesday.

A jawan, who had come to his village on leave from his posting in North, openly expressed his support to the Bandh call by participating in the agitation at Chennamma circle in Hubballi along with other agitators who, after seeing him in his military uniform started shouting 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kissan'.

Without revealing his name, he said that "I had come to my native village on leave and on December 17 returning to my work place via Bengaluru and Kolkata. I learnt about the Bandh call and was inclined to extend support to farmers and hence I came here and participated."

Replying to a question, he clarified that "I am not affiliated to any political party. I am supporting only because it was Farmers agitation."

Police, who were in large numbers, immediately took him and after verifying his documents, took him to an undisclosed place in a van.

Countrywide bandh called by agitating farmers in National Capital demanding the Union Government to withdraw amendments to new Farm laws, received widespread support in the state. Farmers, who came in bullock carts, parked them on the main highways and resorted to ''rasta roko'' in several rural areas. At some places they resorted to preparing food on the middle of road for the agitating farmers.

In many District headquarters, the bus services were withdrawn and an elderly woman who fainted and fell on the platform in a bus stand after waiting for the bus for more than 3 hours was rushed to K R Hospital in Bengaluru.

In some places, the leaders were seen appealing to the businessmen to down their shutters and public to extend support to the agitation. In Mysore, farmers leader Kurubur Shanthakumar and others appealed for support at least till noon.

According to reports reaching Police headquarters in the State capital no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state and the situation is peaceful.

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HC refuses to quash probe against Mangaluru WhatsApp admin over offensive posts

News Network

February 1,2026

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash an investigation against a WhatsApp group administrator accused of allowing the circulation of obscene and offensive images depicting Hindutva politicians and idols in 2021.

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that, prima facie, the ingredients of the offence under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code were made out. “The offence under Section 295A of the IPC is met to every word of its ingredient, albeit prima facie,” the judge said.

The petitioner, Sirajuddin, a resident of Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, had challenged the FIR registered against him at the CEN (Cyber, Economics and Narcotics) police station, Mangaluru, for offences under Section 295A of the IPC and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. Section 295A relates to punishment for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens.

According to the complaint filed by K Jayaraj Salian, also a resident of Belthangady taluk, he received a WhatsApp group link from an unknown source and was added to the group after accessing it. The group reportedly had six administrators and around 250 participants, where obscene and offensive images depicting Hindu deities and certain political figures were allegedly circulated repeatedly.

Sirajuddin was arrested in connection with the case and later released on bail on February 16, 2021. He argued before the court that he was being selectively targeted, while other administrators—including the creator of the group—were neither arrested nor investigated. He also contended that the Magistrate could not have taken cognisance of the offence under Section 295A without prior sanction under Section 196(1) of the CrPC.

Rejecting the argument, Justice Nagaprasanna held that prior sanction is required only at the stage of taking cognisance, and not at the stage of registration of the crime or during investigation.

The judge noted that the State had produced the entire investigation material before the court. “A perusal of the material reveals depictions of Hindu deities in an extraordinarily obscene, demeaning and profane manner. The content is such that its reproduction in a judicial order would itself be inappropriate,” the court said, adding that the material, on its face, had the tendency to outrage religious feelings and disturb communal harmony.

Observing that the case was still at the investigation stage, the court said it could not interdict the probe at this juncture. However, it expressed concern that the investigating officer appeared to have not proceeded uniformly against all administrators. The court clarified that if the investigation revealed the active involvement of any member in permitting the circulation of such content, they must also be proceeded against.

“At this investigative stage, any further observation by this Court would be unnecessary,” the order concluded.

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