Udupi Town police have booked Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna for delivering an inflammatory speech during a protest on July 28 against the NEET paper leak protest by the Cockroach Janata Party.

In his speech during the protest organised by the BJP in Udupi on July 28, the MLA accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of ‘instilling poisonous seed’ in the minds of youth, and taking political mileage by ‘creating chaos’ over the issue. Many who took part in the protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi were not students, he alleged. The forces behind this nationwide protest will be shortly revealed., he said.

Pointing at actor Prakash Raj, who took part in the protest, Mr. Suvarna cautioned the actor from speaking ‘irrelevant things’ by coming to Karavali region.

Following complaint by Udupi District Congress President Ashok Kumar Kodavoor accusing the MLA of delivering a hate speech, the Udupi Town Police registered it for offences under Sections 57,192,196(2),352,353(2),351(2), of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Further legal process will be initiated, Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar said in a statement.

Condemning derogatory references made by Mr. Suvarna against Rahul Gandhi and his family members, Udupi Block Congress President Ramesh Kanchan, in a statement, said this showed the ‘Goonda’ culture of the Udupi MLA. The MLA has failed to use dignified language while criticising political opponents, he stated.

Dakshina Kannada CPI(M) District Secretary Muneer Katipalla has also condemned the alleged inflammatory references by Mr. Suvarna against Rahul Gandhi and Prakash Raj.

Published - July 29, 2026 01:45 pm IST