Mangaluru: A city-based journalist has filed a complaint against Pratap Simha, the first-time member of the Lok Sabha from the Mysuru-Kodagu constituency, regarding a threat to his life from the latter.
Shreyas H S, a resident of Bolwar in Puttur and a reporter of a website, has complained to the Kadri police that the MP had used abusive language over phone and threatened his life.
Trouble had begun when the MP had posted a comment on his Facebook wall which sounded to favour actor Salman Khan, who had been found guilty in the celebrity case related to hit-and-run in Mumbai. He took a stand that compared to the good work of charity done by Salman through his ‘Being Human’ organization the crime was condonable.
This drew a heavy response from the readers who criticized his views. Shreyas reportedly wanted to hear from the MP direct and phoned him to seek his views. He also filed a report about the conversation in the website.
After reading the report, the MP is said to have called up Shreyas and abused him. He also threatened that he would kick him with his shoes and break his hands and legs, according to the complaint.
The Kadri police did not file any first information report (FIR) against the MP, citing a mandatory requirement of a court approval. They are expected to obtain a nod from the court and then file the FIR on Saturday.
The background
Pratap Simha had posted on Facebook on Thursday a comment which conveyed the purport that Salman’s contribution to the industry and the needy outweighed his unintentional, but terrible mistake. Everyday 377 people died as a result of mishaps. Hence strict implementation of traffic rules was a must, he said.
At the same time, Pratap said, “All are talking about Salman, very good! But how many truck drivers are being punished, who ram and ran over? Treat him like any other brat. Don’t hound him just because he is Salman Khan. Punishing just him will never be a deterrent. Let’s pass 2014 Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill and punish all the guilty.”
He even said, “Bash me for this view, but I am speaking my heart out.” The social media followers did not appear to digest his defence of Salman Khan on the pretext of 377 daily deaths and rash driving by the truck drivers.
Sources in Delhi and also in the BJP and the RSS said that Pratap’s views have caused ripples in the party circles. Sri Rama Sene founder-chief Pramod Muthalik has taken serious objection Pratap’s views. When things began getting hot, Pratap is said to have said that his view was misinterpreted. He clarified the matter saying that he had neither backed nor justified what he called Khan’s ‘terrible mistake’.
His views were apparently spurred by the heap of brickbats Salman got in the social media. Pratap, trying to weigh the arguments from both sides, said that for the sole reason of being Salman Khan, he could not be dismissed. At the same time, he made it clear that engaging oneself in charity could not compensate for or condone anyone’s mistake
Sources close to the MP said that he is strongly in favour of the new road safety bill because his own wife had lost a leg in a mishap caused by a truck driver on August 2, 2009. They had not got married then. But she fought back very courageously and completed her M Sc degree with crutches on.
In spite of her father’s request to cancel the marriage because of the loss of a limb, Pratap went ahead with the marriage and still considers that he is lucky to have Arpita as his soulmate, who dutifully takes care of their child, Vipanchi.
People are getting silly over Salman. Why can’t they just stick to the point and argue for or against instead of trying to complicate the issue? Courts have to do their jobs. Legal system should take care.