Justice SR Krishna Kumar, Karnataka HC.
Basavaraj Bommai Hate Speech Case in Karnataka High Court: Bengaluru – The Karnataka High Court on Friday dismissed two criminal cases filed against former Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Basavaraj Bommai. The cases involved allegations of hate speech.
Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar, presiding over a single-judge bench, ruled that continuing these proceedings would be an “abuse of the process of law.” He found the accusations against the BJP leader to be “vague, omnibus, bald and laconic.” The judge emphasized that his decision was based on established principles from both the Supreme Court and the High Court.
Allegations Stemming from Protest Rally
The complaints against Bommai stemmed from comments he allegedly made during a BJP-organized protest rally in November 2024. The rally was held to condemn the Waqf Board and the then-Congress-led state government. Accusations were made that these entities were “grabbing properties of farmers and temples.”
Bommai was specifically charged under Section 196 (1) (a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS). This section deals with promoting enmity between different groups. The core accusation was that he promoted religious animosity by claiming Waqf authorities were involved in land encroachment.
During the protest, Bommai reportedly made a controversial statement: “if a stone was thrown in Savanur, wherever it fell, it was waqf land.” This comment became a central point of the complaints against him.
Bommai’s Defense and Court’s Ruling
The BJP leader had approached the High Court with two petitions. He argued that the criminal complaints against him were “frivolous and vindictive.”
In its order, the single-judge bench sided with Bommai. However, the Court clarified that its verdict applies only to Basavaraj Bommai himself. It does not extend to any other individuals who might be accused in the same cases.
The Karnataka High Court‘s decision provides significant relief to the former Chief Minister, bringing an end to the legal challenges related to these specific hate speech allegations.
