Karnataka: Book on Congress leader Siddaramaiah kicks up a row

A sessions court on Monday (January 9) gave an injunction against the release of a book titled Siddu Nijakanasugalu (‘Real dreams of Siddu’) on senior Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, hours before its launch.

The court granted the ad-interim injunction restraining state Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan and others from publishing, releasing, packaging, selling and displaying the book till the next date of hearing.

Following the court order, the book launch event was cancelled.

The court’s directive came on a petition filed by Siddaramaiah’s son and Varuna MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah.

Also read: Book on me is to humiliate me ahead of elections, totally defamatory: Siddaramaiah

Siddaramaiah’s charge

Earlier on Monday, Siddaramaiah said the book about him is being released with an intention to humiliate him ahead of Assembly polls in Karnataka and termed it “totally defamatory”.

The Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly had said he is contemplating legal action against it.

“I don’t know, everything is yellow for those with a jaundice eye. Who wore the dress like Tipu (18th-century ruler of erstwhile Mysuru Kingdom Tipu Sultan) and held a sword in their hand, it was (former CM) Yediyurappa and (BJP MP) Shobha Karandlaje. Who wrote a foreword for Sheikh Alis book on Tipu, isn’t it duality?” Siddaramaiah had asked, alleging BJP’s role behind the book.

“Purposely to humiliate me ahead of the election, they are bringing out a book. It is totally defamatory. I will see what is to be done legally,” he added.

Book launch

The posters about the book launch event, slated on Monday afternoon, show copies of books which have a picture of Siddaramaiah wearing an attire resembling Tipu Sultan and holding a sword on its cover.

According to the poster, the book release event was to be presided over by Ashwath Narayan with him releasing it.

The book is written by an author who goes by the initials VKP. It is believed to be a three-volume series on the Congress leader.

BJP MLC Chalavadi Narayanaswamy was to be the chief guest at the event, also to be attended by writer Rohith Chakrathirtha, who had headed the state textbooks review committee; journalist Santosh Thammaiah; Vrushanka Bhat, Editor of Vikrama Samvada; and Rakesh Shetty, a writer and social worker, according to the poster.

Tweeting about the event and asking people to take part in it, Ashwath Narayan had said: “I appreciate the effort to find answers to many questions along with revealing many sensitive issues through the book Siddu Nijakanasugalu. I am going to participate in the public launch of this book.”

Meanwhile, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committees legal cell approached the police with a petition to cancel permission to the event if given, and not to allow organisers to go ahead with the launch citing the “law and order situation”.

The picture of Siddaramaiah has been distorted with a conspiracy to disturb harmony and law and order, the petition alleged.

Court order

“Ad-interim injunction against defendant number one (Ashwath Narayan) to seven restraining them, their men, agents or anybody by themselves or on their behalf from issuing/ hosting defamatory statement of any sought in connection with any matter against the plaintiff to the print media or the electronic media and from publishing packaging, releasing, offering for sale, selling and displaying Siddu Nijjakanasugalu book till next date of hearing,” the Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge said in the order, which the office of Siddaramaiah shared.

Also read: Siddaramaiah biopic on cards ahead of polls; Vijay Sethupathi may play lead

The court said defendant number eight and nine being intermediaries have been directed to remove the defamatory contents and sale on Siddu Nijakanasugalu upon receipt of links to be provided by the plaintiff.

Sensing trouble, police personnel were deployed at the Town Hall in the city where the book was slated to be released. Some Congress and BJP workers were seen involved in a scuffle near the venue.

The Congress workers were protesting the scheduled release of the book citing ad-interim injunction and the alleged defamatory content. Police took some Congress workers into preventive custody.

(With Agency input)