Sacked NCW member Nirmala Venkatesh joins BJP
PTI
BANGALORE, Mar 5: Sacked member of National Commission for Women Nirmala Venkatesh, whose position on the recent Mangalore pub attack had stirred up a big controversy, joined the BJP on Thursday.
A former member of State Legislative Council, Venkatesh resigned from the Congress on February 28, saying she was "deeply hurt" after being removed from the post.
It was a low-key entry for her as no top state BJP leader was present when she joined the party at its office.
Venkatesh said she was ready to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections if she was given a ticket.
She also indicated that there was pressure on her to give an "anti-Karnataka Government" report during her probe as NCW member into the Mangalore pub incident, which had evoked a national outrage as some women were attacked by Sri Ram Sene men under "moral policing."
Venkatesh termed rejection of her interim report on the attack and her removal as a "deep political conspiracy".
"This is a deep political conspiracy against me to tarnish my image. I am being made a political victim. I am deeply hurt and shocked", she had said on rejection of her report and sacking.
"I am shocked that certain people, whom I do not want to mention, have personal dislike for my honest work and clean image and are out to settle their personal scores against me in this manner", she added.