In a bold counterattack, Karnataka’s ruling Congress has slapped an FIR on the BJP’s state wing over a provocative social media post that vilified top leaders including CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar. The post on X, laden with doctored images and accusatory slogans, painted the ministers as architects of a massive ‘scam empire’ draining Karnataka’s coffers.
Featuring side-by-side photos of the leaders with damning captions, the BJP post declared: ‘The real tale of Karnataka’s scam lords looting non-stop.’ This digital broadside prompted an immediate response from aggrieved Congress members, who stormed the Cyber Crime station in Bengaluru with a comprehensive grievance.
The complaint meticulously outlined how the post manipulated images of dignitaries on constitutional posts, slapped on ‘scam master’ tags without evidence, and deployed divisive language to breed discord. ‘A blatant attempt to defame and mislead the public via digital means,’ it charged, calling for prosecution of those behind the account.
Authorities wasted no time, registering the FIR and launching a probe into the matter. This clash exemplifies the intensifying use of online platforms as battlegrounds in Karnataka’s polarized political landscape. With elections on the horizon, such skirmishes could shape public narratives significantly.
Observers note that while opposition parties often resort to hard-hitting rhetoric, crossing into alleged defamation territory invites legal scrutiny. Congress hopes this FIR serves as a deterrent, while BJP dismisses it as a desperate ploy to silence criticism of governance failures.