BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday stayed all further proceedings in the registration of the FIR against actor Upendra under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by the CK Achukattu police in Bengaluru, for allegedly using a proverb.
Justice Hemant Chandangoudar passed the interim order after hearing the petition filed by BM Upendrakumar aka Upendra questioning the case registered by the police based on the complaint filed by the Assistant Director of the Social Welfare Department.
It was stated in the petition that Upendra has been talking to people through FB Live about the ills that ail society and the transformation that is required in society to eradicate corruption, discrimination and other evils. On August 12, 2023, in his talk, he informed the people that, criticisms are part of life and used a proverb in Kannada ‘Oorendre Holageri Iruthe’.
After his talk, certain people started commenting and criticising him for using the proverb. He deleted the episode and apologised to the people if he has inadvertently hurt anyone and made it clear that he has no intention of insulting any person or community.
The next day, Samatha Sainik Dal filed a complaint with the Assistant Director to take action against Upendra under the Act. The Assistant Director filed a complaint with the police alleging that the petitioner has insulted Dalits.
Upendra contended that the proverb he used had nothing to do with the insult to Dalits or any intention to insult people belonging to SC/ST. It is a proverb, which is generally used to state that criticism is bound to be generally there and one need not be unduly perturbed. There is a place called Holageri in Shivamogga district and there are many people with the surname Holageri, he stated.
He further stated that in his 30 years of public life, nowhere has he been accused of insulting Dalits. The complaint lodged against him is a motivated and malafide complaint calculated to garner undue publicity. Neither the complaint nor the FIR make out any offence having been committed by the petitioner under the Act, he pleaded.
BU students set fire to Upendra’s effigy, demand his arrest
Over a hundred students set fire to an effigy of Sandalwood actor Upendra in Bengaluru, following controversy over the derogatory remark he had made against Dalits during a Facebook Live event.
On Monday, around a hundred students from Bangalore University took part in assaulting and burning an effigy of the actor in protest, demanding action against him. “We demand that he is banned from the Sandalwood industry for at least five years and strict action be taken against him for hurting the sentiments of an entire community,” said Lokesh Ram, president of the Bangalore University Postgraduate and Research Scholars’ Association.
Over a hundred students set fire to an effigy of Sandalwood actor Upendra in Bengaluru, following controversy over the derogatory remark he had made against Dalits during a Facebook Live event.
On Monday, around a hundred students from Bangalore University took part in assaulting and burning an effigy of the actor in protest, demanding action against him. “We demand that he is banned from the Sandalwood industry for at least five years and strict action be taken against him for hurting the sentiments of an entire community,” said Lokesh Ram, president of the Bangalore University Postgraduate and Research Scholars’ Association.
An FIR had been filed against the actor, which was stayed on Monday by the High Court.
However, the students continue to demand that the actor is removed from the industry and arrested for allegedly threatening secularism in the state. A six-foot-tall effigy of the actor was brought out at the university campus and students took turns beating it with slippers, before setting it ablaze.
“Justice should be given to the community, the home minister and Karnataka government must take action in this regard and ensure that he is arrested immediately,” he said.
However, the students continue to demand that the actor is removed from the industry and arrested for allegedly threatening secularism in the state. A six-foot-tall effigy of the actor was brought out at the university campus and students took turns beating it with slippers, before setting it ablaze.
“Justice should be given to the community, the home minister and Karnataka government must take action in this regard and ensure that he is arrested immediately,” he said.