A case has been filed against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manikanta Narendra Rathod, 30. His inflammatory video on Facebook went viral. It stirred public ire and generated serious doubts regarding communal peace in the Kalaburagi district, police added.
Rathod Allegedly Calls for Massacre of Muslims in Viral Video
In the video, Rathod is purportedly heard making inflammatory remarks in the Lambani language, allegedly calling for the complete extermination of the Muslim community and urging the killing of those accused of “Love Jihad” within eight days. He further claimed that if the police were held back for just 15 minutes in Kalaburagi, a massacre of Muslims could be carried out.
FIR Filed After Social Media Outrage
The clip generated strong outrage on social media. Political leaders, civil society organizations, and concerned citizens called for the immediate arrest of Rathod. In this regard, a complaint was filed on Saturday by 34-year-old Syed Aleem Ilahi. After this, an FIR was recorded at the CEN Station.
Kalaburagi Commissioner of Police Sharanappa S D said: “Rathod allegedly uploaded a provocative video on Facebook. We are investigating the matter and gathering evidence to determine the extent of his culpability.”
BJP Leader Rathod Faces Multiple FIRs
This is just a few days after Rathod had another case lodged against him on May 26, 2025, at Chittapur Police Station. The case was for making derogatory remarks against Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge. The complaint was lodged by Hanumanth Soman, 49, who is a Congress party worker. He alleged that Rathod had made the remarks with intent to disrupt public peace.
Former BJP Candidate Now Faces Legal Heat
Rathod, who is a former BJP candidate representing Chittapur constituency, had contested the last Assembly elections but was defeated by Congress leader Priyank Kharge.
The legal proceedings have now been filed under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 196(1), (2), 197(1), (2), 299, 351(3), 353(2), and 2.2.
