In a move that has sparked a political firestorm and drawn sharp criticism from the opposition, the Congress-led Karnataka government has decided to file a defamation case against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for releasing a charge sheet titled “Two Years of Government Failure.” The state’s Home Department issued a formal notification authorizing legal action, a decision that has ignited accusations of gagging the opposition and clamping down on dissent.
The charge sheet in question was released by the BJP to mark two years of the Congress government in Karnataka. It accuses the ruling party of large-scale corruption, misgovernance, and administrative collapse. In response, the state government has now chosen to retaliate through the judiciary, alleging that the BJP’s claims constitute “false information, distortion and misinformation” propagated through the media.
As per the government notification, the Home Department has empowered its officers and the Secretary of the Administrative Reforms Department to proceed with the complaint. Two senior government prosecutors, B.S. Patil (67th City Civil and Sessions Court) and Shailaja Nayak (61st City Civil and Sessions Court), have been appointed to handle the case, which will be filed before the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court in Bengaluru.
Deputy Secretary (Law and Order), Kumta Prakash, has been tasked with coordinating between departments and providing all necessary documentation to the prosecution team. The case marks a significant escalation in the ongoing political confrontation between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.
BJP hits back: ‘Congress trying to silence democratic voices’
The BJP has responded with strong condemnation, accusing the Congress government of resorting to intimidation to suppress political dissent and avoid accountability.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka lambasted the government’s action, stating, “The Congress, which came to power through lies and propaganda calling the previous government a ‘40% commission government’, is now trying to silence the opposition using defamation suits. This is nothing but political vendetta. We will not back down.”
He further accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar of using state machinery to muzzle the BJP, saying, “No amount of threats or legal cases will stop us from exposing the corruption and failures of this government.”
BJP state president B Y Vijayendra drew a historical parallel, accusing the Congress of reviving its legacy of authoritarianism. “The Congress has a black history of imposing Emergency in India, of jailing opposition leaders and shutting down media houses. Today, that same Congress is attempting to silence criticism in Karnataka with a defamation case. This notification is a dark mark on Karnataka’s democracy,” Vijayendra posted on X.
He went on to call the move a product of “fear and foolishness,” claiming that the Congress is now not only targeting the BJP but also the press, warning, “If you thought that filing cases and using the police can silence the opposition and media, then it is nothing but the height of stupidity.”
‘Is this Hitler’s rule?’ asks Union Minister Prahlad Joshi
Adding to the chorus of criticism, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi launched a scathing attack on the Congress, likening its actions to dictatorial regimes. In a strongly worded post on X, he wrote, “Is this Hitler’s rule in Karnataka? The Congress talks about the Constitution and Babasaheb Ambedkar’s ideals, but its actions are worse than any authoritarian regime. The recent arrest of a private news channel head shows the depth of their insecurity.”
Joshi questioned why the government was afraid of criticism if it believed in its performance and accused the Congress of hiding behind legal intimidation to avoid answering the tough questions about corruption, maladministration, and appeasement politics.
Congress defends move: ‘False allegations cannot go unchallenged’
Amid the mounting criticism, Law Minister H.K. Patil came to the government’s defence, asserting that the BJP had launched a smear campaign filled with lies.
“The BJP is spreading false information to create a wrong perception about the government. Are we to just sit and watch? This is not about silencing criticism but holding people accountable for false allegations,” Patil said. He maintained that the legal route was justified and that it is the BJP that must answer for its baseless accusations.
However, observers note that such legal actions risk setting a dangerous precedent—where criticism, even if harsh or politically motivated, is met not with counter-arguments but with court notices. The Congress government’s move has now raised serious concerns about press freedom, political expression, and the misuse of state institutions for political retaliation.
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