The Congress party emerged victorious in the recently concluded Assembly elections in Karnataka, riding a strong wave of anti-incumbency and securing a significant majority. However, this outcome did not sit well with the Karnataka BJP, leading to discontent within their ranks.
Former MLA Preetam Gowda from Hassan, in an apparent expression of frustration, has made controversial remarks, issuing veiled threats against “one community”, which did not vote for him.
Speaking from the rooftop of his house, he said that he has worked for 5 years while others were sleeping. “One particular community of people have shown us. In the coming days, we’ll show what we are. I will show them what my power is,” he said in Kannada. His comments were perceived as a veiled threat towards the Muslim population in his constituency, as he was not elected this time around.
The sitting BJP MLA lost the election for the Hassan City Assembly seat to Swaroop Prakash of the JD(S) by a margin of 7,854 votes, leaving the BJP without representation in Hassan district. According to sources within the BJP, their analysis of polling at the booth level indicated that a significant portion of Muslim votes had been cast in favor of Swaroop Prakash. The JD(S) has a strong support base in Hassan, particularly among the Muslim community.
In a video recording, Preetam Gowda can be heard saying, “…but people from that one community, who have shown us… In the forthcoming days, we’ll show what we are made of. Truth will shine over Hassan the way the sun and moon do. I honestly tried to take all communities along, with love and faith. Yet, they hated me. In the forthcoming days, let their God take care of them. I’ll show what power Preetham Gowda has.”
This incident is not the first time Preetam Gowda has made threatening remarks directed at the Muslim community in his constituency.
In December 2022, Gowda allegedly addressed Muslim constituents, stating that they should vote for him, or else he would not work for them. He expressed disappointment that Muslims did not vote for him and consequently claimed he would withhold his assistance from them.
As per the 2011 census, the Muslim population in Hassan accounted for approximately 25% of the total population.
The Hassan City Assembly segment has been traditionally considered a stronghold of the JD(S). The party’s candidate, K. H. Hanumegowda, won the seat in 1999, followed by H. S. Prakash, who held the seat for three consecutive terms. Prakash had initially won the seat on a Janata Party ticket in 1994. In 2018, Preetham Gowda secured the seat for the BJP, defeating incumbent H. S. Prakash by a margin of 13,006 votes.
During the election campaign in Karnataka, the BJP adopted a polarizing stance, promising to revoke the 4% quota for OBC Muslims (which is currently under review by the Supreme Court). The Congress, on the other hand, pledged to reinstate the quota if they were elected to power.
Prominent BJP leaders in Karnataka, such as K. S. Eshwarappa and Basangouda Patil Yatnal, made controversial statements during their campaigns. Eshwarappa explicitly stated that the BJP did not seek any Muslim votes, while Yatnal sparked controversy by comparing Muslims in the state to Tipu Sultan during a rally in Vijaypura. He urged voters not to support Muslims in any circumstances.
