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The MP called the Sanapur rape and murder a “small incident,” sparking controversy. He later termed it “serious,” noting tourism in Koppal dropped by 50% due to negative publicity.
Koppal MP and Congress leader Rajshekhar Hitnal. (Image: ANI/File)
Karnataka Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Rajshekhar Hitnal has sparked a controversy after terming the rape and murder of a woman of foreign origin near Sanapur in Gangavathi taluk in Koppal last year as a “small incident.”
Hitnal made the remarks while speaking at a tourism exploration programme, jointly organised by the Union Ministry of Tourism and the Koppal District Tourism Committee, held at the Koppal district administration building. “There was a small incident here. A rape and murder took place,” the Lok Sabha MP said, repeating the description twice.
The Congress leader later said the incident was a “serious and painful” one that should never have occurred, but added that it received extensive national and international attention. He claimed the impact was severe, with tourism in the region declining by nearly 50 per cent.
He further stated that despite having several tourist attractions, Koppal does not receive positive promotion, and that a single incident can lead to widespread negative publicity.
MP Hitnal’s Remarks Trigger Outrage
The remarks drew widespread anger, with political leaders, organisations and members of the public condemning the way the crime was described. JD(S) state core committee member CV Chandrashekhar called the comments irresponsible, saying the MP should have focused on improving infrastructure to promote tourism instead of downplaying a grave law and order lapse, according to a report in TOI.
While, BJP state core committee member Basavaraj Kyavater described the remarks as shocking, and inexcusable. He said illegal activities had played a role in such crimes and accused the MP of downplaying their seriousness. Kyavater also noted that tourist numbers in the Anegandi region, which once attracted more than 30 lakh visitors annually, had dropped sharply following the crimes, the TOI report mentioned.
Congress MP Issues Clarification
Later, the Congress MP issued a clarification, saying his comments were made in the context of appealing to the media to promote tourism and avoid excessive negative publicity around “bad” incidents. He stressed that such crimes should never occur, and that preventing them was a shared responsibility of elected representatives, the public and officials.
“We had urged the media to give good publicity to tourist spots. In that backdrop, we urged them not to give too much negative publicity to bad incidents. These incidents shouldn’t happen and that’s the collective responsibility of elected representatives, public and officials. We had urged not to give too much publicity to these bad incidents,” he said.
He added that his intention was to encourage devotees of Lord Anjaneya (Hanuman) to visit the region, which is believed to be the deity’s birthplace, and claimed some sections of the media had misinterpreted his words.
“I said this with the intention to draw more devotees of Lord Anjaneya (Hanuman) to the place since it’s a sacred place believed to be the birthplace of Lord Anjaneya (Hanuman). Some media has misinterpreted this. It’s not right. Devotees of Lord Anjaneya and tourists should flock to the place. The place has all facilities and has safety as well. I am urging all media not to report this incorrectly,” he further stated.
Koppal, India, India
January 24, 2026, 13:24 IST
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