Karnataka polls: FIR against Jignesh Mevani for inciting violence

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Gujarat independent MLA Jignesh Mevani.

BJP's Chitradurga district president K S Naveen lodged an FIR against Mevani for his speech in Chitradurga, wherein he urged youth to disrupt Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign program scheduled ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

Speaking at a rally earlier in the day, Mevani said, "Karnataka youth's biggest role at this time can be when Prime Minister Modi steps foot in Karnataka for the first time for campaign on April 15, then enter his rally, throw chairs in the air, disrupt his function and ask him what happened to two crore jobs?"

He further said that if the Prime Minister fails to answer, he should be asked to leave and take shelter at a Ram Mandir in the Himalayas.

At the rally, Mevani denied allegiance to any political party, and added, "I am here to awake the mass about the risk of fascism and ensure that BJP doesn't enter South India."

With the polling day inching closer, the Congress-ruled Karnataka has turned into a political battleground with parties extensively campaigning across the state.

Karnataka will go to polls on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 225-member assembly. The results will be out on May 15.