Priyank Kharge Backs Whitefield Police Action on Social Media Threat Cases

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday stated that social media threats against people organizing public events will not be tolerated, responding to recent High Court criticism directed at the Whitefield police station.

The Karnataka High Court had pulled up the Whitefield police station over alleged illegal arrests, referring to it as a 'Darkfield' police station. Addressing the court's remarks, Kharge stated that the situation stemmed from a gap in communication, adding that the detained individual was a repeat offender picked up for a separate matter unconnected to comedian Kunal Kamra.

The controversy arose after the Whitefield police registered a suo motu FIR against Mohan Gowda, a representative of an organization named Hindu Rashtra Samanvaya Samiti. Gowda had posted on social media calling the cancellation of an event a victory for Hindu unity. Police took Gowda into custody and served him a notice under Section 35 (3), directing him to appear before the Investigating Officer just yards away from the police station.

Kharge questioned the impact of online intimidation on Karnataka's reputation, asking whether courts had declared anyone anti-national or their events unconstitutional. He emphasized that threatening individuals online over events harms the image of the state.

During a separate interaction in Bengaluru with more than 800 police officers from across the state, Kharge stated that the government will support honest and law-abiding police personnel while warning that officers who act against the law will not receive protection. He also addressed operational challenges faced by personnel on duty and reiterated that police officers must not maintain relationships with rowdy elements.