CM defends Kempaiah over Hunsur incident, says Simha lacks political maturity

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday defended his close aide and advisor to Home Minister, Kempaiah, who has been accused of provoking the unrest during the Hanuma Jayanti rally in Hunsur, before which BJP MP Pratap Simha was arrested.

Following his release, Simha had accused Mysuru Superintendent of Police Ravi Channannavar of being more "loyal" to Kempaiah than to the police department.

Simha had hit out at Channannavar for imposing "unnecessary" restrictions on the rally led by him.

Reacting to Simha's comments, Siddaramaiah said, "Kempaiah may have spoken to Mysuru SP Ravi Channannavar about law and order situation, there is nothing wrong in it."

Simha has attacked the SP and blamed the Mysuru district police for filing unnecessary charges against Hindu devotees. He had said, "Don't blame the deputy commissioner for your failures and that of the police department. The DC has imposed restrictions, based on the reports of the police department. It's time you introspect on whether you are loyal to the police duty or to home minister's advisor Kempaiah."

Siddaramaiah said Simha lacked political maturity. "The police had indicated the route to be taken for the Hanuma Jayanti procession. Despite this, Simha created the ruckus."

The chief minister said he was unaware of NSUI's complaint to party general secretary K S Venugopal against Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi.

On Tuesday, NSUI state president Manjunatha H S submitted a petition to Venugopal against Rayareddi, accusing him of supporting those involved in the 'marks card scam' that was affecting students and universities across the state.