Alleging cow slaughter, BJP legislator barges into Muslim home in Karnataka

 A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, Sharanu Salagar, barged into a Muslim electrician’s home and abused his family members claiming that they were slaughtering cows during Eidul Azha festival.

Mehraj (27), lodged a complaint in this regard against the MLA on Wednesday.

Following the complaint, the legislator from Basavakalyan in Bidar district of the state and his supporters were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 448 (house trespass), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), media reports reaching here said.

The incident allegedly took place on July 1 in Basavakalyan. According to the complaint, when Mehraj was inside his house celebrating Eid, Salagar and about 15-25 supporters barged into his house screaming that they were slaughtering animals inside their house. Initially, the MLA claimed that a cow was being slaughtered.

Despite Mehraj and his neighbors trying to clear their “doubts”, the MLA allegedly continued to abuse the women of the family and threatened to teach them a lesson. “Muslims are taking all the flats and if they are allowed, they will not allow Hindus to live. They are acting too much. We will teach them a lesson,” Salagar was quoted as saying by Mehraj in his complaint.

The Basavakalyan police are yet to start an investigation although the MLA and his supporters have been booked, reports said.