Congress MLCs petition Horatti for action on Chalavadi, Ravikumar

Bengaluru: A delegation of Congress MLCs, led by the party’s Chief Whip in the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed on Monday submitted a petition to Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti seeking action against Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Upper House Chalavadi T Narayanaswamy, and BJP’s chief whip N Ravikumar.

Pointing to the derogatory remarks against Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge and the Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner by the two BJP leaders, the Congress delegation petitioned Horatti to initiate disciplinary action against both Chalavadi and Ravikumar in the interests of the decorum of the House.

Ahmed dubbed the BJP leaders’ statements unacceptable, while party colleague and MLC Puttanna, in a separate petition, submitted to Horatti, sought Chalavadi’s disqualification. In his petition, Puttanna cited misleading remarks made by Chalavadi, besides drawing Horatti’s attention to the LoP’s bid to disrupt House proceedings during the recent session of the legislature.

Confirming the receipt of both the petitions, Horatti said that they would be reviewed, and a decision taken in accordance with the rules.

Chalavadi, however, said that the petitions submitted by the Congress were part of the ruling party’s larger design to malign both him, and Ravikumar. In a veiled jibe at Priyank, Chalavadi pointed to the poor turnout at a recent rally held by the minister. “Despite arranging vehicles, and food, only 1,500 people turned up at the event, while you had expected a crowd running into tens of thousands,” the LoP said.

Dubbing the Congress party’s efforts to have him disqualified ‘futile’, Chalavadi said, “I was once part of the Congress party. We know all your tricks, and we will respond accordingly. When Priyank was humiliated, many in the Congress rejoiced. The Congress is showing its true colours.”

Cut-off box - Ravikumar questioned for five hours
Assistant Commissioner of Police Sharanappa Subedar questioned Opposition Chief Whip in Legislative Council N Ravikumar for five hours in Kalaburagi on Monday in connection with a complaint lodged against him for his ‘Pakistani’ remark against Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Tarannum reports DHNS from Kalaburagi.
The voice sample of Ravikumar who had made a derogatory statement against DC has been obtained and it will be sent to the forensic science laboratory to ascertain the authenticity of the statement in the speech. 
Terming the FIR lodged against him as vendetta politics being played by the Congress the BJP leader asserted that he will challenge the atrocity case registered against him.

Cut-off box - ‘Will write to DC tendering apology’
Addressing a press
meet after appearing for interrogation Ravikumar said that he will personally write to the deputy commissioner tendering apology. 
He said that he had no bad intention behind criticising the deputy commissioner during the BJP protest and regretted his statement only after realising the religion of the IAS officer the next day. 
“Pakistan stands as the best example for social disorder. Therefore I criticised the deputy commissioner in the backdrop of lawlessness in Kalaburagi district. I did not even mention her name and was also not aware of her religion. Still I expressed regret for my statement after the discussion over it the next day” he said.