Congress MLCs complain to Chairman against Ravikumar and Chalavadi Narayanswamy

Congress MLCs met Chairman of the Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti to seek action against BJP leaders N. Ravikumar and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, in Bengaluru on Monday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Congress MLCs on Monday met Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti and demanded his immediate intervention, seeking constitutional and legal action against BJP MLC N. Ravikumar and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanswamy for their alleged derogatory remarks against Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum and Minister Priyank Kharge, respectively.

Mr. Ravikumar had, during a recent protest in Kalaburagi, alleged that the Deputy Commissioner’s office had “lost independence” as she “took orders from RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge”, and wondered if she was an IAS officer or “someone who came from Pakistan”, leading to widespread condemnation.

Mr. Narayanswamy had likened Cabinet Minister Priyank Kharge to a dog, stated the petition submitted to Mr Horatti.

Urging the Chairman to take suo motu cognisance of the derogatory remarks made by the two BJP MLCs, Congress members, including Minister N.S. Boseraju, and MLCs Salim Ahmed, K. Govindraj, and Dinesh Guli Gowda, also demanded that Mr Horatti should issue a formal condemnation of the statements. “Your immediate intervention will uphold constitutional values of secularism, administrative neutrality, and respect for public servants,” the petition stated.

They urged the Chairman to recommend disciplinary or ethical proceedings against the two under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Legislative Council.

Published - June 02, 2025 08:54 pm IST