BENGALURU: The Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha on Tuesday filed a formal complaint with Assembly Speaker UT Khader’s office on Tuesday, asking him to take penal action against former home minister and Thirthahalli MLA Araga Jnanendra for making derogatory remarks against AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Mahasabha office-bearers, during their formal meeting with Khader, asked him to disqualify Jnanendra as MLA for his comments against Kharge and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre. Khader assured them that he will look into their complaint.
Earlier, over 20 district presidents of the Mahasabha met and threatened to launch an agitation if authorities fail to take action. The Mahasabha meeting also urged BJP to remove Jnanendra from the party and take disciplinary action against him. Mahasabha Secretary Renuka Prasanna said Jnanendra made the comments on August 1 and the Sadashivanagar police in Bengaluru filed the complaint the next day. But no further action has been taken though a week has lapsed, he added.
Jnanendra’s statement has been criticised by netizens from across the country. The Mahasabha meeting was called spontaneously by district presidents as they were facing criticism that no action had been taken against Jnanendra, though the organisation had discussed the issue at its meeting, Prasanna said.