From our special correspondent
Daijiworld media network
Bengaluru. Dec 20: Union Industry Minister and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy has strongly condemned the alleged attack on BJP MLC C T Ravi in Belagavi Suvarna Vidhana Soudha for using derogatory language against Women and Child Welfare Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar on Thursday and wondered whether democracy was on its death bed in Karnataka when ‘even opposition leaders have no safety?’
In a post on X, Kumaraswamy took a veiled dig at Congress for staging protest in the State Legislature by holding Dr B R Ambedkar’s photos in front of their seats, and asked “What is the point of holding anyone’s portrait in the Legislature?”
“The alleged attack on C T Ravi is highly condemnable,” he said while clarifying that he was not justifying the BJP leader ‘if he had used inappropriate or obscene words against the minister’.
“However, the Minister’s response and the hooliganism of her supporters are completely unacceptable. There is a law under Dr Ambedkar's Constitution for every issue and the Chairman of the House has already given a ruling on this matter. Yet, the events that followed, including the disrespect towards the Chairman and the disgraceful behaviour, are shocking,” he said adding: “It is also concerning that some individuals in the government are further escalating this incident into a wildfire for their own motives.”
Kumaraswamy pointed out that when people from Panchamasali community protested in front of Suvarna Soudha for reservation, the Congress government displayed its so-called courage by ordering a lathi charge. The brutality of the police on that day was indescribable. They were stopped at the gates and beaten until they bled.
“But now, how did these hooligans enter Suvarna Soudha? Did the same police who stopped protesters fail here? Or did they intentionally allow these goondas in? Or is it a conspiracy orchestrated by the government? Or perhaps some unseen hands were involved,” he asked and said, when hooligans are chasing legislators through the corridors of the Assembly, attempting murder, assaulting Marshals, and displaying criminal behaviour, it is clear they have powerful backing.
The JDS leader pointed out that videos aired on media show the personal assistant of the Minister attempting to break the iron gates in the corridors, and engaging in acts of violence. These visuals are proof enough that the state is no longer in safe hands and they have a strong backing of ‘bande’, the nickname for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
“The hooligans who stormed Suvarna Soudha must be immediately arrested and booked under anti-social activities. They are a threat to public peace and should be permanently banned from Suvarna Soudha and Vidhana Soudha,” the JDS leader said.
“The police: You are answerable for this entire incident. If you drove C.T. Ravi around in a police jeep all night, under whose orders was this done? Who is the gang leader of these hooligans? You know the truth, and you must reveal it,” he said.