Three people were apprehended by the Karnataka police on 22 July in connection with installing posters critical of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in Bengaluru during the recently completed meeting of the opposition parties. The three persons arrested have been identified as Sriram, Nandakumar, and Mohan, all of whom live in Bengaluru’s Sheshadrip uram neighbourhood.
Sriram sponsored the mounting of the posters, according to the police. They were printed using Nandakumar’s printing press. The tempo that belonged to Mohan was utilised to transport them. The men displayed the posters at twenty different spots throughout the city. They were also concisely placed on the route leading to Bengaluru Airport. The police are now questioning them to learn whether political figures were involved in the instance.
The posters mocking the Janata Dal-United supremo first appeared on 18 July in a number of prominent locations throughout Bengaluru, including the Chalukya Circle, Windsor Manor Bridge and Airport Road near Hebbal locality. They referred to the seasoned politician as an “Unstable Prime Ministerial Contender” along with a picture of him.
The development occurred while opposition parties were conducting a two-day massive ‘unity’ event in the city to demonstrate their power before the pivotal 2024 general elections and create a platform against the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party alliances.
The posters recounted mishaps of bridge collapses that took place in Bihar during his administration and read, “Bangalore rolls out the Red Carpet for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. First date of Sultanganj bridge collapse – April 2022. Second date of Sultanganj bridge collapse – June 2023.”
The fact that he was invited to the occasion was also critiqued and stated, “Bangalore rolls out the red carpet for CM Nitish Kumar.” Another derided him and mentioned, “Shri Nitish Kumar, the CM, Government of Bihar, the man who builds underwater bridges.” Additionally, they featured photographs of the fall of the Sultanganj Bridge.
The posters poked fun at his ability to be a strong leader of the opposition. “Sultanganj Bridge, Nitish Kumar’s gift to Bihar, that keeps collapsing. While bridges in Bihar cannot withstand his reign, count on him to lead the ‘Opposition Party’ campaign.”
The police responded quickly and took down the posters after becoming aware of them being displayed at Chalukya Circle, a short distance from the meeting that Nitish Kumar was scheduled to attend.
D.K. Shivakumar, state Congress president and the deputy chief minister of Karnataka had accused the BJP of hanging up the posters attacking the veteran JD(U) leader. He alleged, “It is all our BJP friends’ work. He is a big threat to BJP and by putting up posters against him they are giving him publicity. The Congress party is ready to fight all these forces. Like cowards, they are doing it. Nitish Kumar too knows Karnataka politics well.”
