Congress acted softly on those who shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ in Vidhana Soudha: Ashoka

Bengaluru / Davanagere: BJP MLC C.T. Ravi, arrested for allegedly making a ‘derogatory remark’ against Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, was released last night near Davanagere on way to Bengaluru following a Karnataka High Court order.

A large gathering of BJP workers welcomed him, raising slogans against the Congress Government. State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka were present to greet and support Ravi upon his release.

Earlier, the High Court ordered the Karnataka Police to release Ravi immediately. Justice M.G. Uma, heading a Single-Judge Bench, granted interim bail to the 58-year-old leader in a sexual harassment case filed by Lakshmi Hebbalkar in Belagavi.

Ravi was being brought from Belagavi to Bengaluru to appear before the Special Court for Elected Representatives. The FIR, registered under Sections 75 (sexual harassment) and 79 (outraging the modesty of a woman through word, gesture, or act) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), was the basis for his arrest.

BJP condemns arrest

Speaking to reporters in Davanagere after Ravi was set free by the Police, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka criticised the arrest as illegal and accused the Belagavi Police of torturing Ravi. Ashoka said that the Police subjected Ravi to a gruelling 800-km journey across four districts, stopping at isolated locations to weaken him mentally and physically.

The BJP will formally lodge a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over manhandling, illegal arrest, overnight torture and subsequent threats against Ravi by the Belagavi Police and Congress-led State Government.

“The State Government treats terrorists with red carpets but treated Ravi like a terrorist, which is disgraceful,” Ashoka remarked. He also questioned the jurisdiction of the Belagavi City Police Commissioner, who was present at Khanapur Police Station during the incident where he was ‘pressurising’ the Investigating Officer to break Ravi mentally.

“In the earlier incident of the alleged raising of “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans in the corridors of Vidhana Soudh in Bengaluru a by the supporter of Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Nasir Hussain, the State Government acted softly. They even didn’t issue notice till the report from the Forensics Science Laboratory came and arrested the accused. But now Ravi was detained and arrested illegally without any notice and within hours of receiving the complaint,” he said.

The Police, even without knowing the jurisdiction of the legislature, arrested Ravi illegally. Legislature immunity issue was also not looked at by the Police and they acted like goondas, he alleged.

Ravi’s response

Ravi described the arrest as horrific, recounting that he was denied medical treatment for a head injury, left hungry throughout the night, and not allowed to file his complaint. “I question whether we have a Constitutional administration or an autocratic Congress regime in Karnataka,” he stated.

Ravi reiterated his belief in “Satyamewa Jayathe” and declared he would not apologize unless proven guilty. “The people of Karnataka will soon teach this government a lesson,” he added.

Ashoka termed the High Court’s decision to grant bail as “landmark” and predicted the Congress government’s downfall, claiming Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s days in office were numbered.