The BJP took out a protest rally in Dharwad on Friday against the arrest of Shruti Bellakki, who faces the charge of making inflammatory remarks against Home Minister M.B. Patil through a video she posted online.
Pralhad Joshi, MP, walked to the Deputy Commissioner’s office and submitted a memorandum to the government condemning her arrest. Ms. Bellakki, who was released on bail on Thursday, was by his side.
Garag police arrested her on April 24 following a complaint by S. Dasharath, a resident of Mummigatti village. In the video, she had accused Mr. Patil of “conspiring to break up the Hindu faith” and had insinuated that this was funded by non-Hindu organisations. Her husband is a BJP activist.
Mr. Joshi said the city police had acted “under pressure” from the Home Minister and arrested the woman, though they had no jurisdiction to do so. “It is a case to be investigated by the cybercrime police. Why did the city police interfere in it?” he asked. He said the BJP would take the fight to the Raj Bhavan.