Karnataka BJP complained to the DGP after a clash between Congress and BJP MLAs in Ballari resulted in one death. BJP alleges Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy fired the gun and demands a fair investigation and the arrest of Congress leaders.
The State BJP submitted a complaint regarding the Ballari violence to the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DGP) of Karnataka, M A Saleem, on Friday. The clash between Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA G Janardhana Reddy over a banner led to one man being shot.
BJP Demands Fair Probe, Blames Congress MLA
Karnataka State Legislative Council LoP & BJP MLC Chalavadi Narayanaswamy claimed that the Congress MLA Bharath Reddy and his supporters fired the gun, which ultimately took the life of one of their own. He also questioned the basis for the complaint lodged against Janardhan Reddy, as he was entirely faultless in the entire dispute. "Why have they filed an FIR against Janardhana Reddy when he has not made any mistake?... The Congress leaders, MLA Bharath Reddy and Satish Reddy and their gang. He fired towards the Reddy (Rajasekhar Reddy) and your own Karyakarta lost his life because of your firing", he accused. He called for Congress leaders' arrests following the situation, saying, "The police should arrest Bharath Reddy and Satish Reddy immediately."
BJP MLA and Karnataka Assembly LoP R Ashoka spoke to ANI about their demands. "We met the DGP, and we demand a fair investigation into the incident", he stated. He further claimed, "The Congress 'gundas' targeted Janardhan Reddy, but the case has been registered against Janardhan Reddy. What message do you want to send?" He alleged that this was a "politically motivated attack by the Congress party".
In Ballari, BJP State President BY Vijayendra weighed in on the clash and held the sitting MLA Bharath Reddy responsible for the violence that took place on Thursday. He claimed that Bharath Reddy used threatening language for Janardhana Reddy which escalated the situation and led to a Congress worker losing their life. "The tragedy that took place yesterday in Ballari is due to the act of sitting MLA Bharath Reddy. It is Bharath Reddy who instigated all Congress workers against our BJP workers...Bharath Reddy openly shouted, 'We will burn Janardhana Reddy's house', so Siddaramaiah government, if they have any respect for the law of the land, they should take this matter very seriously", he claimed. Vijayendra shared that they demand an investigation into the tragedy and an inquiry by the sitting High Court Judge.
Police File Four Cases, Investigation Ongoing
Briefing the situation, SP Ballari had said that the shots were fired from a private weapon. "So far, it appears that the bullet was fired from a private weapon. A total of four cases have been filed, one murder case, one attempt to murder, one SC-ST case and one suo motto case filed by the police against all the people involved in the riot," SP Ranjith kumar Bandaru said.
Police brought the situation under control. No arrest has been made as of now. Further investigation is underway.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)