KPCC spokesperson M. Lakshmana on Saturday lodged a police complaint against a priest from Kengeri in Bengaluru for speaking against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a “derogatory manner”, and against two BJP leaders, including Prathap Simha, former MP, for allegedly creating unrest in the society.In the complaint, Mr. Lakshmana referred to “highly derogatory statements” made by the priest against Mr. Siddaramaiah over the State government’s decision to invite Booker prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate this year’s Dasara festival.Alleging that the priest’s remarks would also disturb peace and harmony between the Hindu and Muslim communities, Mr. Lakshmana urged the police to immediately register a case and arrest him.He also complained against Mr. Simha and BJP spokesperson M.G. Mahesh for allegedly insulting Mr. Siddaramaiah and making disrespectful remarks against Ms. Mushtaq with an intention to instigate communal violence.Claiming that Mr. Mahesh had given an ultimatum to Mr. Siddaramaiah to give a clarification and had threatened to obstruct the Dasara festival, Mr. Lakshmana demanded that the police register an FIR against Mr. Simha and Mr. Mahesh and arrest them.Later, Mr. Lakshmana said that the government’s decision to invite Ms. Mushtaq to inaugurate Dasara had become a source of annoyance to BJP supporters and leaders. He alleged that it was a part of BJP’s hidden agenda to incite people, groups, and self-styled activists against Mr. Siddaramaiah.Mr. Lakshmana questioned Mr. Simha’s duplicity by remaining silent when poet Nisar Ahmed was invited to inaugurate the Dasara festival in 2017. He said Mr. Simha not only stood alongside Mr. Ahmed, but also went inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Chamundeshwari Temple with former Minister Tanveer Sait, when the latter was the Minister in charge of Mysuru district.The KPCC spokesperson also targeted MP for Mysuru Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar for his reported “flip-flop” on the issue of Ms. Mushtaq inaugurating the Dasara festival. After initially welcoming the decision, Mr. Yaduveer had opposed it in a surprising volte-face, he said.Mr. Lakshmana pointed out that the erstwhile royal family of Mysore had a tradition of protecting harmony between different sections of the society, and recalled that late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar had taken the then Dewan of Mysore Sir Mirza Ismail on the elephant’s ambari with him.The KPCC spokesperson said that Congress workers will be forced to hold demonstrations outside the houses of BJP leaders who issued the statements that threatened to disturb the peace and harmony of the society, if action was not taken against them.Published - August 30, 2025 08:31 pm IST