<p>Araga Jnanendra, a prominent member of the BJP and a former home minister of Karnataka, was charged by local police for making offensive remarks against Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress. According to a police officer speaking to PTI, the FIR was filed on Thursday as a result of a complaint made by Congress worker Rajiv Jane at the Ashok Nagar police station in Kalaburagi, Karnataka.</p>
<p>According to the official, Jnanendra has been charged with intentionally insulting someone with the aim to cause a breach of the peace, in violation of Section 504 of the IPC. The case will be moved to Thirthahalli in the Shivamogga district, where the incident took place, on Friday.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-111388″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/theindiaprint.com-how-since-2018-this-couple-has-traveled-for-free-all-over-the-world-download-2023-08-04t182059.874.jpg” alt=”” width=”1039″ height=”584″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/theindiaprint.com-how-since-2018-this-couple-has-traveled-for-free-all-over-the-world-download-2023-08-04t182059.874.jpg 299w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/theindiaprint.com-how-since-2018-this-couple-has-traveled-for-free-all-over-the-world-download-2023-08-04t182059.874-150×84.jpg 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 1039px) 100vw, 1039px” /></p>
<p>During a protest on August 1 in Thirthahalli, the senior BJP MLA made an offensive remark about Kharge’s skin tone and the residents of the area he is from.</p>
<p>Jnanendra criticized the statement made by the forest minister Eshwar Khandre, a native of the same Kalyana Karnataka region that Kharge does, regarding the implementation of the Kasturirangan report. He claimed that people from the area, who have little experience with trees, plants, or shade, are making decisions that have an impact on the lives of residents of the Western Ghats.</p>
<p>“Mr. Siddaramaiah, the administration has to be clear about its position (on the Kasturirangan report’s implementation)! We are unfortunate that the Forest Minister is from Kalyana-Karnataka, a place without a forest. People there get black (dark) in the sweltering heat, yet they have no idea what a plant, a tree, or its shade is; we can tell by glancing at our Kharge. His life is spared by the hair covering; it provides shade for them, according to Jnanendra.</p>
<p>He added to the crowd during the rally, “Such people are speaking who have no idea about the lives of people living in Malnad or the Western Ghats region…so I urge the government to give clarity.” On Wednesday, Congress supporters demonstrated against Jnanendra in Bengaluru, yelling anti-Jnanendra chants while party officials attacked him and questioned his mental stability.</p>
<p>Jnanendra explained, insisting that he never mentioned Kharge, but added that he would apologize if anybody had been wounded as the matter grew into a scandal.</p>
<p>I don’t believe I’m big enough to criticize Mallikarjun Kharge, thus I never came out against him. I always speak with deference to his position of authority and knowledge. I didn’t mean to harm Khandre or Mallikarjun Kharge. I’ve seen responses in the media. I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s emotions, but if I did, I apologize,” he had said, insisting he had never used Kharge’s name.</p>
