Mysuru: Former BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu, Pratap Simha, is facing severe criticism on social media for his controversial post on his personal ‘X’ account (formerly Twitter) in support of self-declared cow vigilante Puneeth Kerehalli. Kerehalli was recently arrested for spreading false news that dog meat was being transported to Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station in Bengaluru.
In his post on Tuesday, July 30, Simha claimed that Kerehalli was forced by the police to strip and was insulted while in custody. He announced his intention to visit the prison on Wednesday and ordered ACP Chandan to be present during his visit.
Social media users quickly responded, questioning the propriety of Simha’s threat to a police officer. Many users asserted that the people of Karnataka would not be intimidated by such threats and emphasized the duty of Kannadigas to protect diligent officers.
The controversy stems from an incident on Friday at Bengaluru’s prime railway station, also known as ‘Majestic’, where Kerehalli and his supporters caused a commotion. They claimed that 150 cartons carrying three tonnes of meat from Jaipur contained dog meat. However, on Saturday, the Karnataka Food Safety and Standards department refuted Kerehalli’s allegations, confirming that the meat samples had been tested and found to be that of sheep.
The incident has sparked significant debate about the actions of cow vigilantes and the role of public figures in supporting or condemning such actions.
