Two distinct legal proceedings in Karnataka have highlighted strict enforcement against public property defacement and institutional misconduct. In the state capital Bengaluru, Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Krishna Byre Gowda instructed officials to lodge an FIR against his own ardent supporter for illegally sticking posters on municipal walls. Meanwhile, in Bidar district, a college principal faces criminal charges after allegedly restraining students from shouting patriotic slogans during Independence Day celebrations.
Strict Legal Action by Karnataka Minister Over Illegal Public Wall Posters
The illegal poster incident came to light during routine municipal inspections in Ward Number 10, located within the Vidyaranyapura area under the jurisdiction of the Bengaluru North City Corporation. GBA officer Govindappa detected paper posters promoting Minister Krishna Byre Gowda pasted across public walls and roadways without any prior official authorization from civic authorities. The unauthorized postings severely defaced urban aesthetics and forced municipal cleaning crews into unnecessary cleanup labor.
Demonstrating zero tolerance for civic violations, Minister Krishna Byre Gowda mandated immediate legal action against the offender regardless of political affiliation. Based on the official written complaint submitted by officer Govindappa, Bengaluru police registered a formal FIR naming the minister's supporter, Shivakumar. Civic officials emphasized that individuals defacing public infrastructure without requisite permissions will face strict consequences under law.
Police Complaint Against Bidar College Principal for Prohibiting Patriotic Slogans
A separate controversy erupted at an inter-college in Chitguppa town within Karnataka's Bidar district following national celebrations. On August 15, immediately after the conclusion of the national anthem during the Independence Day event, a group of students chanted patriotic slogans including 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram' while exiting the college premises. The institution's 39-year-old principal, Abdul Hakeem, allegedly intercepted the students and sternly warned them against repeating the chants inside the campus.
According to the police complaint, Principal Abdul Hakeem linked the slogans to a specific religious community and asserted that such chants were strictly prohibited on college grounds. A student's father subsequently approached law enforcement, characterizing the principal's behavior as deliberate religious discrimination designed to promote enmity among students. Following the formal grievance, Chitguppa police station registered a criminal case against the principal on August 17.
Law enforcement authorities booked Principal Abdul Hakeem under key provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include Section 126(2) for wrongful restraint, Section 352 for intentional insult intended to provoke breach of peace, and Section 353(2) for acts causing public mischief and disharmony. Police officials confirmed that a detailed investigation is actively underway to establish the complete facts of the case.
