Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, May 26: BJP MLC N Ravikumar has drawn widespread criticism after making a controversial statement against Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum, suggesting she was of Pakistani origin. The remark, made during a BJP protest rally in Kalaburagi on May 24, has triggered a political row and led to an FIR being registered under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Addressing the gathering, Ravikumar criticised the alleged mistreatment of leader of opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, who was reportedly confined inside a government guest house when Congress workers surrounded the premises. While commenting on the incident, Ravikumar questioned the nationality of the Deputy Commissioner, saying, “I don’t know whether the Kalaburagi DC has come from Pakistan or is an IAS officer here.”
The statement received immediate backlash. A private individual lodged a complaint with the Station Bazaar police station in Kalaburagi, leading to an FIR against Ravikumar. The complaint accuses him not only of targeting the DC with communal overtones, but also of making derogatory remarks against members of the Scheduled Caste community and senior police officers, including Additional Superintendent of Police Mahesh Meghannavar, Deputy Superintendent of Police Shankargouda Patil, and Circle Inspector Chandrashekar.
Kalaburagi police have confirmed that the case has been registered under multiple provisions of the Atrocities Act and that a detailed investigation is underway.
Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, who was at the centre of the protest incident, said he was unaware of Ravikumar’s controversial statement. “I haven’t heard any such comment, but I will verify it,” he said.
The original incident took place on May 21 in Chittapur, Kalaburagi, where Congress workers reportedly blocked Narayanaswamy from exiting a guest house. The protest was in response to his alleged derogatory remarks comparing Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge to a dog during his participation in the Tiranga Yatra.
Reacting to the latest controversy, minister Priyank Kharge condemned Ravikumar’s remarks, calling them “highly distasteful”. “Such statements reflect a deeply disturbing mindset. To make such allegations against a senior officer is unacceptable. People who speak in this manner about fellow Indians only expose their own anti-social thinking,” he said.
The IAS Officers Association also expressed strong disapproval, calling Ravikumar’s remarks offensive and unwarranted. The association has demanded an unconditional apology and legal action under relevant laws.
This incident comes close on the heels of a similar controversy in Madhya Pradesh, where BJP leader and state minister Vijay Shah faced nationwide backlash for a communal remark about Colonel Sofia Qureshi, a decorated officer associated with Operation Sindoor. His statement was later criticised by both the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the Supreme Court.
As political tempers rise, calls for accountability and restraint in public discourse are growing louder.