A special court in Bengaluru has instructed the filing of a criminal case against Karnataka minister Satish Jarkiholi, a Congress leader. This action stems from a statement he made in 2022 regarding Hinduism, where he referred to the term ‘Hindu’ as Persian with a negative connotation, sparking a legal dispute.
The Bengaluru People’s Representatives Special Court has mandated the filing of a case under IPC sections 153 (defamation) and 500 (initiating a trial) against Satish Jarkiholi. The charges involve vilification or attacks on religion, race, place of birth, and residence. Lawyer Dilip Kumar filed a private complaint that prompted the court’s involvement. Although Kumar’s complaint was initially dismissed by the Magistrate Court, he appealed to the Sessions Court against this ruling.
Satish Jarkiholi made the controversial statement at an event in Nipani town, Belagavi, on November 5, 2022. During the event, he raised questions about the origin of the term ‘Hindu’ and its significance to Bharat, proposing a more extensive discussion on the subject. He questioned the origin of the term ‘Hindu’ and its relevance in the Indian context.
“Look at WhatsApp, Wikipedia about where the word came from. It’s not yours. Still, you are carrying it. It’s not your word,” Jarkiholi said, speaking in Hindi. “If you understand the meaning of the word ‘Hindu’, you’ll be ashamed. The meaning is very dirty. This is already on the website. You are imposing on us a religion, a word that comes from somewhere else”, he added.
Jarkiholi’s statement sparked a significant controversy, leading the Congress high command to intervene and label the minister’s comments as “profoundly regrettable.” Jarkiholi further explained that his remarks were not his individual viewpoint but rather a reference to the term ‘Hindu’ as per information from Wikipedia and writings by different authors.
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala criticised Jarkiholi’s comments, emphasising that Hinduism is a way of life. “Hinduism is a way of life and a civilisational reality. Congress built our nation to respect every religion, belief and faith. This is the essence of India. The statement attributed to Satish Jarkiholi is deeply unfortunate and deserves to be rejected. We condemn it unequivocally,” Surjewala posted.
