Bengaluru, July 20 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha President and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Monday said the Karnataka High Court has stayed proceedings in an FIR registered against social media commentator Kiran Aradhya, alleging that the case was politically motivated and an attempt by the state government to silence dissent.
In a statement posted on social media, Surya said he appeared before the High Court along with advocate Girish VHP representing Kiran Aradhya. Two FIRs had been filed against Aradhya by Karnataka Police following the posting of videos against former Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee Member Siddaramaiah.
“The Hon’ble High Court has stayed the proceedings, protecting the petitioner from a clear abuse of the legal process. The Karnataka Government cannot use FIRs to intimidate critics and stifle dissent. We will continue to stand with those unfairly targeted and fight every such case in court,” Surya stated.
The FIR pertains to videos posted by Aradhya in which he criticised Siddaramaiah over his remarks on social equality and socialism.
In one of the videos, Aradhya referred to Siddaramaiah’s speech in Puttur, Mangaluru, where the Congress leader reportedly said that social reformers had worked to create an equal society. Questioning the statement, Aradhya argued that public leaders should practise the principles they advocate.
He further raised questions about the practicality of socialism and alleged that Siddaramaiah’s declared assets had increased by an average of Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore across successive elections. Aradhya claimed that those who espouse socialist ideals should lead by example and contribute their wealth for public welfare.
Further in the video, Aradhya reportedly referred to Siddaramaiah’s demand for compensation for acquired land and questioned why he had sought compensation instead of foregoing it for the benefit of society. He also sought to draw comparisons with the teachings of social reformer Basavanna while criticising the Congress leader’s political stance.
Aradhya additionally urged the state government to focus on issues such as narcotics trafficking and investigate the networks allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade and the flow of funds, rather than targeting critics through legal action.
The Karnataka High Court’s interim order staying the FIR proceedings has provided Aradhya with temporary relief. The matter is expected to come up for further hearing at a later date.
The Karnataka government has not yet issued an official response to Surya’s allegations regarding the FIR or to claims of political vendetta.
Aradhya stated that the High Court had stayed both FIRs filed against him by the Congress government, which he alleged had withdrawn cases against those who ransacked police stations. He thanked Girish and Surya for appearing and standing by him in court, adding that critics should listen carefully to the court proceedings rather than dismissing them.
–IANS
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