Congress supporters protested Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Rajya Sabha speech and Karnataka BJP leader CT Ravi’s alleged remarks against minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar at the party office in Bengaluru on Friday. | Photo Credit: ANI
If the alleged lewd comments by BJP leader CT Ravi against Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar were false, why was he arrested, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked in Mandya on Friday.
Talking to reporters who were in Mandya to inaugurate the 87th Akhila Bharat Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, he said that no woman would make a false complaint when faced with such comments.
Criticizing the BJP for supporting Mr. Ravi despite his alleged obscene remarks against the minister, the Chief Minister said if Mr. Ravi’s alleged comments were baseless then why did the police arrest him. When he made the alleged comment, everyone present in the House heard it. There was audio and video of what the MLC said, but I have not seen or heard it. He argued that no woman should file a false complaint in such matters.
The Chief Minister said that Basavaraj Horatti, Chairman of the Council, spoke on Ravi’s alleged remarks. Only after confirmation did the minister file a police complaint against UML. Besides, other members present in the assembly witnessed what Mr. Ravi said, he said while replying to reporters’ queries on the matter.
In response to a question, the Chief Minister said that Ravi had to be taken to Khanapur as the people of Belagavi were outraged by his alleged comments. As a precaution, the BJP MLC needed to be shifted there, he said.
Describing Mandya as a “pure Kannada land”, he said people from other states living here had learned Kannada and spoke the language fluently.
published – December 20, 2024 at 09:00 hrs IST