PoliticsKarnataka
Priyank Kharge warns Vijayendra and Narayanaswamy of legal action over remarks on Congress workers
Karnataka's Home Minister said the government would go to law if the two BJP leaders kept up what he called provocative and derogatory comments.
Key points
- Priyank Kharge said the state would start legal proceedings if the remarks continued.
- Chalavadi Narayanaswamy was accused of threatening to throw Congress workers into the Arabian Sea.
- B Y Vijayendra has apologised for his choice of words.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday warned two senior BJP leaders that the government would start legal proceedings against them if they kept making provocative and derogatory remarks about Congress leaders and workers.
His targets were state BJP president B Y Vijayendra and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kharge said the two lacked substance and did not understand the issues they spoke on. “We will not act unjustly or put anyone behind bars without reason,” he said, making clear that the law would take its course if the statements went on.
The Kolar remark
The row began at a BJP foot march in Kolar, held under the slogan “Save Democracy, Eradicate Anarchy” as a reply to a Congress protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Narayanaswamy reportedly said BJP workers would “chop Congress workers into pieces” and throw them into the Arabian Sea if the Congress kept creating anarchy. The Congress called it a threat against political opponents. Narayanaswamy has denied saying it and says his words were twisted.
Kharge also said Narayanaswamy had called him a dog during a visit to his native place, adding that there was “no connection” between the BJP leader’s mind and his tongue.
Vijayendra and the KPSC row
Kharge also hit out at Vijayendra over his recent comments about Congress workers on reservation and the Karnataka Public Service Commission controversy. He asked whether the BJP chief had read the court judgment properly, saying it had criticised the previous BJP government. On the SC/ST reservation question, he said “the proposal has to be placed before the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.”
Vijayendra has since apologised for his choice of words and said he regretted any hurt his remarks had caused.