Doreswamy has links with anti-national elements: BJP MLC

The controversy over “derogatory” remarks against freedom fighter H S Doreswamy took an ugly turn on Tuesday when BJP MLC N Ravikumar raised slogans against the veteran on the floor of the Legislative Council, leaving the Opposition parties outraged.

Intervening during Congress MLC Ivan D’Souza’s submission to Council chairperson Pratapachandra Shetty, Ravikumar alleged that Doreswamy had association with “anti-national” elements and that the 101-year-old should be “ashamed of himself.”

The Opposition censured Ravikumar for his remarks and demanded an apology. Members of the Opposition protested by jumping into the well of the House and demanded Ravikumar’s expulsion.

“Doreswamy-ge dhikkara koogthene (down with Doreswamy),” Ravikumar said, even as other BJP MLCs including Y A Narayanaswamy and Tejaswini Gowda continued their diatribe against the freedom fighter while they defended Yatnal.

The Opposotion parties in both Houses of the legislature have been up in arms against Yatnal for calling Doreswamy a “fake freedom fighter” and “a Pakistani agent.”

Leader of the Opposition in the Council S R Patil said that Ravikumar’s remarks were in poor taste, whereas senior JD(S) member Basavaraj Horatti said that it was wrong on the part of the BJP MLC to raise slogans against Doreswamy. “Ravikumar should apologise as his sloganeering was not right,” he said.

Meanwhile, JD(S) member Srikantegowda raised a point of order, which was also interrupted as BJP MLCs continued their remarks against Doreswamy, prompting Congress and JD(S) members to protest in the well of the Council.

Earlier, BJP MLCs had accused Doreswamy of threatening to “finish” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referring to a speech where the centenarian had asked voters to end Modi politically. “A complaint should be lodged against him,” MLCs Narayanaswamy and Tejaswini demanded.

Initially, Shetty allowed a discussion on Yatnal’s remarks following a demonstration by the opposition MLCs. Patil had lashed out at Yatnal, stating that such remarks were an insult to the Constitution and the country. Horatti urged the chairman to take a decision and direct members of Assembly and Council to stop insulting freedom fighters.