New Delhi: Senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa has called for the enactment of a law that would allow the killing of Congress MP DK Suresh and MLA Vinay Kulkarni.
Accusing the Congress leaders of being "traitors" and attempting to divide India, Eshwarappa suggested a legal provision for their execution.
During the swearing-in ceremony of the new Karnataka BJP president and office-bearers in Davangere district, Eshwarappa sai, "If they try to convey such statements again, through such public meetings, I would like to communicate to Narendra Modi ji that DK Suresh and Vinay Kulkarni are traitors to this country. They seemingly desire to divide the nation into pieces. I suggest enacting a law where they can be shot and killed."
The 75-year-old's remarks have sparked criticism, with concerns raised about the appropriateness of advocating violence against political opponents.
Activist Kavitha Reddy pointed out the apparent imbalance in legal consequences, saying, "The Bengaluru Police would have arrested me if I had said that KS Eshwarappa should be beaten to death in public, but no action will be taken against Eshwarappa for calling the killing of DK Suresh. Law is indeed based on Power."
Eshwarappa's controversial statement follows his previous comments, where he characterised the Karnataka government's protest in Delhi over "unfair allocation of funds" as a campaign strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. He alleged that the Congress government was launching its campaign at the expense of taxpayers.