JD(S) former MLA taunts Ramya

The level of political debate in Karnataka has been touching new lows in every election. Amidst the intense campaign for the August 21 Mandya Lok Sabha byelection, former JD(S) MLA from Mandya city, M Srinivas, scraped the bottom of the barrel in public decency on Friday.

At a meeting in Srirangapatna, in the presence of senior leader N Cheluvarayaswamy and JD(S) candidate C S Puttaraju, Srinivas said: “Who is Ramya’s father? What caste does she belong to? Is she a test tube baby?”

Srinivas contended that Ramya, in her affidavit submitted to the Election Commission, has not filled in her father’s name and her caste. Further, he said Ramya did not even know how many taluks were there in Mandya district or know any of the local workers and leaders. “She does not belong to Mandya. So, why should the public elect her to Parliament?”, he asked.

Even as Congress workers burnt Srinivas’ effigy in Mandya, former Prime Minister and JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda said in K R Pet, “Making such comments about a woman is wrong. It is in very bad taste.” 

However, his son H D Revanna said, “If Ramya does know her father and her caste, why didn’t she put it in her affidavit?”

Cheluvarayaswamy did not stop or condemn Srinivas on the dais. But he told Express: “After the programme I said that making such personal comments is not in good taste and creates an unnecessary controversy.”

Ramya is still in mourning after she lost her foster father R T Narayan five days ago. Her manager declined to issue any statement on the issue.

However, Housing Minister M H Ambareesh, Ramya’s mentor, said, “Srinivas should have controlled himself. Speaking ill about a woman who has just lost her father is inhuman.” 

Reacting, Housing Minister M H Ambareesh, Ramya’s mentor, said, “Srinivas should have controlled himself. He should learn to respect others.Speaking ill about a woman who has just lost her father is inhuman. All of us are test-tube babies in politics and we are still in LKG.”

Ambareesh said Ramya’s parents are from Mandya and her grandfather was the president of the Mandya city municipal council.

“She comes from a political background.”  Congress leaders came down heavily on Srinivas’ statement.

The party has said that Srinivas is indulging in “third class politics” and no leader should speak on personal issues related to any candidate or party worker. 

‘Congress Failed to Address Issues’

JD(S) leader and Nagamangala MLA N Cheluvarayaswamy said Congress has failed to resolve the farmers’ problems and the Cauvery water dispute, so voters should not vote for them.

Speaking at the party workers’ meet at Srirangapatna on Friday, Cheluvarayaswamy said the Congress was not able to find a candidate and “forced” Ramya to contest the byelection, whichaccording to him, is a shame.

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