The High Court of Karnataka on Monday stayed the first information report (FIR) registered against Kannada actor Upendra under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, for his alleged racist remark during a live chat on social media platform.
Justice Hemant Chandangoudar passed the interim order on a petition filed by Mr. Upendra questioning the legality of registration of the criminal case in the absence of ingredient to attract the provisions of the Act.
Use of proverb
In his live talk on August 12, the petitioner had used a Kannada proverb that some had taken objection to as casteist, while speaking about the ills that ail society and transformation that was required to be brought about in society.
“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. It has nothing to do with insult to Dalit or people belonging to SC/ST. Very significantly, there is a place called Holageri in Shivamogga district and there are many people with the surname Holageri,” it has been stated in the petition, while contending that use of the proverb could not be construed as an insult to a community.
Episode deleted
After the talk, it was stated in the petition that the petitioner came to know that certain persons had started criticising him for using the proverb. Following this, the petitioner deleted the episode on social media platform and apologised to the people if he had inadvertently hurt anyone and made it clear that he had no intention of insulting any person or community.
It was contended in the petition that the complaint was “motivated, malafide and calculated to garner undue publicity”.
The FIR was registered against Mr. Upendra based on a complaint lodged by Madhusudhan K.N., Assistant Director of Social Welfare, who acted on the representation received from Dalit activists Gopal Giriyappa and Banashankari Vasu seeking action against the actor.
Protests in Bengaluru
Meanwhile, on Monday, members of Bangalore University Postgraduation and Research Scholars’ Association held a protest and burnt an effigy of Mr. Upendra on the university’s Jnana Bharati campus, Mysuru Road.
In another development, Byrappa Harish Kumar, State president of Karnataka Ranadhira Pade, filed a complaint against Mr. Upendra with Halasuru Gate police here amidst high drama on Sunday.
