Sonia in SOUP over Cong tweet
After war of words between the Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadara and UP over buses for migrants, Karnataka took the battle further when an FIR was filed against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi based on a complaint by an advocate in Shivamogga district, the home district of CM B S Yediyurappa.
The complaint was based on a tweet by Congress chief over the use of PMCARES fund. The tweet read: “If the PM-CARES Fund is not being used for transport of migrants, repatriation of Indians from abroad or providing a financial stimulus, what is it being used for.”
But advocate KV Praveen, allegedly a BJP worker, saw the tweet as casting aspersions on the use of the PMCARES Fund. He also submitted hardcopies of tweets with the complaint. “An FIR has been registered against Gandhi under IPC Sections 153 and 505(1)(B). We are probing the matter,” a cop said. The FIR was lodged at 10.30am on Wednesday.
Minutes after the FIR was registered, the Congress fumed and cried foul. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief DK Shivakumar in a letter to Yediyurappa demanded immediate withdrawal of the FIR. “We hereby demand your goodself to withdraw the said FIR (on Gandhi),” said Shivakumar.
He claimed Praveen is a BJP activist. “The complainant has filed it with a political motive on false information stating Gandhi tweeted that the Prime Minister has been misusing the PM-CARES fund,” he added.
Shivakumar said Gandhi had indeed tweeted in the capacity of MP and the chief of a party. Her intention was to force Modi use the PM-CARES Fund for welfare of people. He said, “Unfortunately, it was misinterpreted by the BJP leadership. It instigated Praveen to file the complaint against Gandhi, based on false information without examining its truthfulness.”
He said Sagar police officials have misused the process of law by registering an FIR and have snubbed her right to air healthy criticism. He told the CM to “suspend the said police officer immediately. We urge you to register an FIR against the officer for misusing the process of law in the interest of justice and equity,” he demanded.