Hyderabad, May 4 -- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)MLA of Belthangady, Harish Poonja, has been booked for allegedly delivering a provocative and communal speech targeting Muslims during a religious ceremony at the Gopalakrishna Temple in Thekkar village, Dakshina Kannada district.

The speech, delivered on Saturday night, May 3, during the Brahmakalashotsava (consecration ceremony), has since gone viral on social media, drawing widespread outrage.

BJP MLA accuses minorities of vandalism, theft

In the video, Poonja alleged the local Muslim community broke the tube lights installed for the Brahmakalashotsava ceremony and stole diesel.

"You (Hindus) are only 150 families in Thekkaru. The Muslim community has 1,200 families. In another ten ye...