Bengaluru, 12 April

The Halasuru Police have registered an FIR against JD(S) workers for launching a poster campaign across Bengaluru targeting the Congress-led Karnataka government over alleged corruption and price rise. Titled "Saakappa Saaku Congress Sarkara" (Enough of Congress government), the campaign began on 9 April without official permission.

Posters bearing QR codes were pasted on public property including bus stops, BMTC and KSRTC buses, and locations such as Maharani College bus stand and KR Circle. Scanning the QR codes redirected viewers to older video clips of Congress leaders criticising inflation—an attempt by JD(S) to expose the ruling party’s alleged double standards.

Ironically, the campaign mirrors the Congress's earlier "PayCM" posters that criticised the BJP government, now repurposed by JD(S) to attack the Congress.

The party followed up with a protest at Freedom Park on Saturday, led by Nikhil Kumaraswamy, president of the JD(S) youth wing. The protest highlighted rising living costs and accused the government of burdening people despite announcing five welfare schemes—Gruha Lakshmi, Shakti, Gruha Jyoti, Anna Bhagya and Yuva Nidhi.

“What the government gives with one hand, it takes back with the other through relentless price hikes,” the leaders alleged in a statement.

Following the rally, JD(S) workers, including Nikhil Kumaraswamy and several MLAs, attempted to march towards the Vidhana Soudha in protest. However, police detained them before they could reach the premises. All were later released.

Police investigations into the unauthorised poster campaign are ongoing.