An FIR has been filed against Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil by the Karnataka police for his alleged ‘provocative’ speech on the Belgaum issue during the birthday celebrations of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) leader Kiran Thakur on April 7. According to PTI, which quoted Belgaum district superintendent of police Sandeep Patil, the FIR has been lodged on April 10 against Patil as an accused for making ‘provocative utterances’ during the event.
It has been registered under Sections 153(A) of the IPC for provoking and creating disharmony between communities on religion, race, place or birth or language and under the Representation of People Act. Patil has also been booked under Representation of People Act for the violation of election code for the May 5 state Assembly poll.
Patil had allegedly recalled the incident of how the then Beglaum Mayor Vijay Pandurang was attacked in Bangalore several years ago for a resolution by the civic body seeking merger of Belgaum and several other Marathi-speaking areas with Maharashtra. The provocative remarks were made while mentioning the incident.