A Helpline For BJP Members Facing "False Cases" In Karnataka

The Karnataka unit of the BJP on Saturday launched a helpline number to provide legal assistance to the party activists against whom "false cases" are registered by the Congress government in the state.

The service has been started to assist the party workers to fight the police cases against them legally, Bengaluru South MP and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha president Tejasvi Surya said after launching the helpine.

The helpline number -- 18003091907 -- was launched against the "vindictive politics of the Congress government", Mr Surya said.

"Ever since the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government has taken over governance in Karnataka, attempts are being made to stifle the voice of the opposition, especially the karyakartas (workers) of the Bharatiya Janata Party," the BJP MP told reporters.

In the last two-three weeks, senior Karnataka ministers have been making statements warning BJP workers of facing strict legal and police action in case they make statements opposing the policies of the government, Mr Surya alleged.

"We have already witnessed two instances where our karyakartas have faced police brutality, police action for so much so as tweeting against the Chief Minister, having a caricature made against the Chief Minister and making it as their display picture on the WhatsApp," the MP alleged.

He also alleged that Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has also specifically stated that in the coastal areas of the state, various cultural organisations inspired by the RSS would be tackled with brute force and the government intends to constitute a special task force (STF) to deal with these organisations and its members.

"It appears that the Home Minister of Karnataka is directly taking orders from the PFI and is making these kinds of comments. We have seen in the past the brutal murder of BJP/RSS karyakartas by the radical terrorist elements. The Congress party government then did not register proper FIRs, did not conduct investigations properly, diluted the FIRs filed, adulterated charge sheets were filed so that the perpetrators of those crimes be let free," he claimed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)