An animated video posted by the BJP Karnataka’s account on the social media platform ‘X’, targeting the Muslim community, has been removed following a directive from the Election Commission.
The Election Commission instructed the microblogging site on Tuesday to remove the video.
In a letter addressed to the nodal officer of ‘X’, the EC expressed dissatisfaction with the platform’s failure to comply with the directive issued by the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer to remove the video.
Officials from the EC said on Wednesday that following the latest directive to ‘X’, the controversial video has been removed.
The Karnataka Congress had filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer of the state, alleging that the BJP was fostering animosity and hostility between the Muslim and SC/ST communities.
The complaint was in reference to an animated video shared by the Karnataka BJP, featuring caricatures of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
In the video, the leaders are depicted placing an egg labelled ‘Muslim’ in a bird’s nest. After the egg hatches, Gandhi is portrayed feeding ‘funds’ to the ‘Muslim’ hatchling while others compete for it. Consequently, the ‘Muslim’ hatchling grows and displaces the three other hatchlings representing SC, ST, and OBC communities, while Gandhi and Siddaramaiah laugh.