From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jan 3: Karnataka’s Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who is a Vokkaliga representing Malleswaram assembly constituency in city and Ramanagara district in-charge minister, and Bengaluru Rural Congress MP D K Suresh, brother of State Congress Chief D K Shivakumar, were involved in an ugly spat and almost came to blows, shouted at each other in singular terms at an official function in Ramanagara district in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and several cabinet ministers and legislators on Monday. The tension and clashes between supporters of Suresh and Ashwath had to be diffused by no less a person than by the Chief Minister, Congress MLC S Ravi and police officers, who intervened.

The official function was in the Vokkaliga stronghold of Ramanagara district in Magadi taluk for inaugurating and laying foundation stones for several programmes besides unveiling the statues of Dr B R Ambedkar and the founder of Bengaluru Kempe Gowda.

It all started with Chief Minister arriving almost two hours behind schedule even as the large crowd of people had assembled and were eagerly waiting and the Chief Minister straightaway went on to unveil the statues without even waiting for D K Suresh, which apparently angered his supporters. The Chief Minister took along H D Anita Kumaraswamy, JD(S) MLA and wife of former Chief Minister and State JD(S) Chief H D Kumaraswamy but not Suresh, even though his name was mentioned in the official invitation, while unveiling the statues.

While addressing the function as District in-charge minister Dr Ashwath Narayan took strong exception and objection to the Congress workers shouting, and openly challenged them and their leader to show their manhood (gandasutana) instead of shouting when the Chief Minister has come to attend a function in the district, which provoked D K Suresh, who was seated on the dais and he got up rolling his sleeves and shouted at the minister menacingly.

“If you (without naming Suresh) want to prove your leadership by getting a bunch of people and make them shout when the Chief Minister has arrived, it is an insult. We (BJP) are here for the sake of development and not to grab land or cheat,’’ the minister said without naming anybody. “If you are a leader, show it in your work but not by shouting slogans and cheating people,’’ Dr Narayan said angering D K Suresh further,

“Shall I show my manhood to you? (nanna gandasutana ninage torisalaa)’’ D K Suresh shouted with clenched fists and almost attacked the minister by going up to the mike. Immediately, Congress MLC S Ravi and police officers as well as other officers on the dais rushed and separated the duo, thereby avoiding physical fisticuffs. Ravi even tried to snatch the mike from Dr Ashwath Narayan.

Suresh even sat on dharna on the dais in front of the Chief Minister to register his strong protest while even Anita Kumaraswamy expressed her annoyance at the spectacle involving the minister and the Congress MP. Dr Narayan went on speaking even as the Chief Minister asked him to stop.

When JD(S) MLA Anita Kumaraswamy expressed her unhappiness at the brawl at an official function in the presence of the Chief Minister, the latter tried to pacify both by pointing out that, "politics is a separate. We should work for the people and should not clash and serve the people. Let us work together.’’

Meanwhile, State Congress Chief Shivakumar strongly condemned the behaviour of Dr Ashwath Narayan and said how the minister could abuse a leader and challenge his manhood in full public view in the presence of the Chief Minister.

“What is the development, he (minister) is talking about? Has he built any big dams, constructed huge buildings or implemented any novel schemes for the development of Ramanagara district. Does he mean that there was no development in the district before BJP rule?’’ he said and said Ramanagara have produced stalwarts like Kengal Hanumanthaiah and Magadi is the home town Kempe Gowda. The district had elected Ramakrishna Hegde and even Kumaraswamy.

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has strongly condemned the ‘misconduct’ of Congress leaders at a function organised by the Ramanagara district administration with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai attending along with several ministers. "This shows the goonda culture of the Congress party and the attempt to manhandle the Higher Education Minister will not be tolerated,’’ he said and pointed out that he has sought an official report from the district administration on the incident.