‘Political gimmicks by Congress’: CM Bommai on Congress’ complaint against Amit Shah ahead of Karnataka polls

"These are political gimmicks', Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters on Thursday, after opposition in state Congress filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statements during a recent election rally.

Karnataka has become a battleground for political parties, as they gear up considering the campaigning has entered its last leg before the state votes on 10 May. The crucial elections this year, is being heralded as the precursor to the Lok Sabha Elections due in 2024.

On Thursday, Basavaraj Bommai said that the ECI complaint is a ‘gimmick’ by the opposition Congress. “These are all political gimmicks by Congress. There is nothing in that complaint”, CM Bommai told reporters.

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In tightening ropes, Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Dr Parmeshwar and Chief of Karnataka Congress DK Shivakumar filed a police complaint on Thursday against HM Amit Shah.

The complaint, filed at Bengaluru's High Grounds police station, alleged that Amit Shah made provocative statements, promoting enmity and hatred and maligning opposition during his recent rallies in the poll-bound Karnataka.

"Union Home Minister has said that if Congress comes to power then there will be communal riots. How can he say this? We have filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India on this," said DK Shivakumar after filing the complaint.

The complaint mentions the name of Amit Shah, other BJP leaders and the organisers of the rally at Vijaypura and other locations in Karnataka on 25 April.

"Speech given by Amit Shah was shockingly riddled with flagrantly false statements aimed at tarnishing the image of Indian National Congress by levelling false and unfounded allegations, with a clear objective of trying to create an atmosphere of communal disharmony amongst the gathered crowd and the individuals viewing it on other media platforms," read the complaint.

A video link of the alleged hate speech was also attached to the complaint. Sections like 153, 505 (2), 171G and 120B of IPC were mentioned in the complaint.

The Rajasthan, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, due to be held in 2023, will prove BJP's hold over the country as the ruling government for the next year's general elections, according to political pundits.