Photo: Maktoob
The Karnataka Police has reportedly suspended an inspector after he issued a notice to a right-wing activist by invoking a hate speech law that has not yet come into force and is still pending approval despite being passed by the state legislature.
The issue surfaced in the legislature after BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar flagged the matter, stating that an inspector from the Tarikere area of Chikkamagaluru district had served a notice on activist Vikas Puttur under the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2025, ahead of a public event. According to police sources, the inspector, Ramachandra N, acted under the mistaken belief that the Bill had already become law following its passage in the Assembly last year. He was suspended on Friday for the lapse, the sources said.
The Bill was sent to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on December 30, 2025, after it was cleared during the Winter Session of the legislature, but it has yet to receive assent, police officials noted, Indian Express reported.
Raising the issue through a calling attention motion on Wednesday, Kumar alleged that right-wing activists were being selectively targeted and that authorities were attempting to prevent their participation in Hindu Samajotsava programmes across the state.
He cited the notice issued to Puttur as an example, pointing out that the activist was warned against violating provisions of a Bill that had not been enacted, and demanded disciplinary action against the officer concerned.
Kumar had also drawn attention more broadly to what he described as restrictions placed on leaders and members of right-wing organisations, alleging that local authorities were harassing them by issuing notices to stop them from travelling to different districts for social and religious events.
In a written reply, Home Minister G Parameshwara said restrictions had been imposed on four individuals in connection with participation in events across Karnataka. He explained that Chitradurga district authorities had restrained Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Sharan Pumpwell from attending a Hindu Sangam programme in Holakere because a rowdy sheet was open against him at Mangaluru East police station and he had previously been fined for violating High Court conditions in 2025. The Hassan district administration had also barred Pumpwell from attending Hindu Samajotsava events at Shravanabelagola and Arasikere.
Parameshwara further said that due to cases registered against Chakravarti Sulibele and Harika Manjunath in Belagavi and other police stations, organisers had been advised not to invite them to programmes, citing the likelihood of hate speech or provocative remarks.
In another instance, the minister said that Sri Siddalingaiah Mahaswamy of Sri Karneshwar Math in Andola, who faces 19 cases and is known for making provocative remarks against other communities, was barred from participating in a Hindu Mahasabha Ganapati Utsav event in Siruguppa town in Bellary district due to concerns that his presence could lead to inflammatory speeches.