Belagavi, Dec 20 (IANS): The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced on Thursday that it will stage a statewide protest in all district headquarters on Friday to condemn the arrest of party MLC C.T. Ravi over alleged objectionable remarks against Minister for Women and Child Welfare Laxmi Hebbalkar.
State BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra said the BJP will not stop its fight until C.T. Ravi is released unconditionally, and the Congress goons who assaulted him are jailed.
The police in Karnataka took Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC C.T. Ravi into custody on Thursday evening from the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here for allegedly making derogatory remarks against a woman minister in the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet.
The action came after a complaint was filed by Minister for Women and Child Welfare, Laxmi Hebbalkar. She alleged that Ravi used highly objectionable language on the floor of the House.
The police registered an FIR based on Hebbalkar's complaint under Sections 75 and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for sexual harassment and using insulting gestures amounting to sexual harassment.
C.T. Ravi was taken into custody by the police while he was staging a protest along with BJP members. Ravi was taken away from the venue of protest and shifted into a police van.
Hebbalkar also submitted a complaint to the Chairperson of the Legislative Council, Basavaraj Horatti.
Meanwhile, Vijayendra said: "In response to the Congress government's veiled attempts to impose another Emergency, a massive statewide BJP protest under the slogan 'Save Democracy, End Goonda Congress' has been called for tomorrow, with demonstrations planned across district centres.
"We demand that the Speakers of both Houses take a stand and initiate action regarding the assault and attempted fatal attack on C.T. Ravi within the Suvarna Soudha in the presence of marshals by outside goons. We also urge the Governor to intervene immediately."
Vijayendra said that the Congress, "infamous for imposing the Emergency, is now attempting to enforce a de-facto Emergency in Karnataka".
"They have incited goons to storm the ‘Temple of Democracy’ — the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha — and commit the heinous act of assaulting elected representatives. By misusing the police, they have arrested our senior leader C.T. Ravi, who was the victim of this attack.
"Arresting C.T. Ravi on the basis of a complaint about an incident that occurred within the House is an authoritarian move that strangles our democratic system. The Congress is trying to disgrace the dignity of the legislature and undermine its constitutional authority," he added.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, speaking to the media at Khanapur police station where C.T. Ravi is imprisoned, stated: “As per legal terms, the arrest of C.T. Ravi is not tenable. The case has been fabricated due to political pressure from ministers. The public knows that the incident took place inside the Legislative Council. The Chairman of the Council, Basavaraj Horatti, passed an order dismissing Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar's complaint for lack of evidence."
The BJP has released videos showing C.T. Ravi being abused by Congress MLCs inside the Legislative Council. The video also shows Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar confronting and scolding C.T. Ravi, asking him whether he does not have a mother, wife, or sister at home.
Chaos and drama unfolded as, during a heated debate session earlier in the Council, C.T. Ravi allegedly referred to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi as a "drug addict".
Taking objection to the remarks, Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar slammed Ravi, and called him a "murderer". Responding back, the BJP leader allegedly called the woman Minister a p@#%^&*@^e.