Karnataka: BJP Chief Vijayendra Flags Lawlessness In State After Actress Harshika Poonacha Allegedly Attacked In Bengaluru For Speaking Kannada

Kannada film actress Harshika Poonacha on Friday (19 April) alleged that she and her family were attacked by a group of people in Bengaluru's Frazer Town for speaking in the local language Kannada.

The members of the group even tried to snatch a gold chain from her husband Bhuvann Ponnannaa, she said.

The actress shared a video of the incident on social media and questioned how safe residents are in Bengaluru.

According to Harshika Poonacha, she, along with her family, had gone out for a casual dinner at a restaurant on Mosque road in Frazer town's Pulikeshi Nagar in Bengaluru, a couple of days ago.

In her post on X, she narrated that after finishing the dinner, when they received their car, two men suddenly appeared near their car's driver seat window and started arguing that the vehicle is very big and that it could touch them if it moved suddenly.

"My husband ignored it by saying "innu move maadilwalla side bidi" (we haven't moved at all right, please move aside now). He moved the vehicle ahead a little, by then these two men started abusing him and my family in their language saying these Kannada people should be taught a lesson and even tried to hit him on the face," She wrote.

A crowd of 20 to 30 people gathered around their car within two to three minutes of this and two of them tried to snatch Bhuvann Ponnannaa's gold chain, she wrote.

“My husband realised this on time and quickly held on to it and gave it to me,” She posted.

Getting frustrated, the gang started damaging their vehicle and also tried to physically abuse them, she said.

Harshika Poonacha said that her husband did not react because there were women and family in their vehicle.

"Also these guys had a problem that we were talking in Kannada. They were like your coming to our area & stop talking in languages you want. “Yeh local kannad wala hey” (these guys are local Kannada people). It agitated them more when my hubby and me spoke only in Kannada. They said keep your ”Kannada style" to yourself. Most of them spoke either Hindi , Urdu and a few in broken Kannada," she added.

Poonacha then contacted an inspector she was acquainted with, after which the gang “disappeared into thin air in a matter of seconds”.

Her attempt to get help from an ASI from the nearby police station was in vain as “he did not seem keen to help”, she wrote.

“He said we should talk to higher ups in the department and did not even have the courtesy to come and find out what happened. He wanted to drink the moosambi juice that he was drinking in front of a restaurant just two buildings ahead,” her post read.

Poonacha said the incident has scared her from going out in the city she grew up in, and questioned “Are we living in PAKISTAN or AFGANISTAN?? Is it wrong to use my language Kannada and get abused for it in my own city??? How really safe are we in our own city?”

The actress requested CM Siddaramaiah and the Karnataka State Police Department to look into the matter and take appropriate action. 

Commenting on the issue, BJP Karnataka unit chief B Y Vijayendra questioned the law and order situation under the Congress government in the state.

"Can you believe? TOTAL eight gruesome murders in the State in last 24 hours! Where is the state heading towards? Total Chaos, Anarchy! Besides, three diff incidents in last three days in three different parts of Karnataka allegedly by Jihadis against Hindu victims reflects the cowardice & timidness of this govt in tackling the Jihadi elements & highlights the "My Brothers" policy which has emboldened them," Vijayendra said in a post on X.

"Kannada Actress Harshika Poonacha has expressed distress that her family was attacked for speaking Kannada and has rightly questioned if we are living in PAKISTAN or AFGHANISTAN?" he noted.

"Growing fearlessness and audacity of criminals in the state shows absence of any governance and a lack of determination, willingness in the Siddaramaiah government to curb these rogue elements who are creating daily havoc in the state," he said.

"There is a sense of fear and lawlessness that has created panic among Citizens of the state, distinctly known for its peaceful environment," the Karnataka BJP chief added.

BJP leader Basanagouda R Patil said that Karnataka’s "law and order has messed up due to the appeasement politics of Siddaramaiah".

"Karnataka Home Minister is missing!," he added.

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