Kumaraswamy calls Chief Secy; BJP seeks arrest of Gowda

Bengaluru

Reacting strongly to the alleged abuse of a senior woman Municipal Commissioner by a Congress leader in Chikkaballapur district, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy called up Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh seeking action regarding the incident.

Union Minister Kumaraswamy called Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and expressed anger over the incident and forwarded the purported audio clip to her. He expressed disappointment that, as a woman herself, there appeared to be no protection for female officers working under her administration. He demanded the immediate arrest of the Congress leader involved.

“How can officers function if they are shouted at and abused like this?” he questioned.

Meanwhile, the BJP has urged the police to book the accused Congress leader under the provisions of the Goonda Act.

BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra stated, "The manner in which Congress leaders are behaving like rowdies reflects the true culture of that party. The Sidlaghatta Congress leader has not only committed an illegal act but has also behaved like an unruly thug towards a woman officer who was discharging her official duties, which is completely unacceptable."

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, speaking to mediapersons, said the arrogance of Congress leaders has increased across the state. Their high-handed behaviour has crossed limits. He demanded that the Chief Minister immediately arrest Rajeev Gowda. He said that since Gowda openly spoke about taking the law into his own hands, he should be immediately arrested under the Goonda Act. Otherwise, the BJP would take the issue to the state level, he warned.

Questioning whether it is right for Congress leaders to indulge in such hooliganism, he said that sanitation workers have also staged a protest there following the abuse. The BJP will take up the issue on a priority basis, he said, alleging that law and order in the state has completely collapsed. Narayanaswamy demanded that the Chief Secretary act immediately.