BENGALURU/BALLARI : BJP state president BY Vijayendra on Friday demanded that the ruling Congress arrest its MLA Bharat Reddy in connection with the violence in Ballari on Thursday. Addressing reporters after visiting party MLA G Janardhana Reddy in Ballari, Vijayendra said the first offender under the Hate Speech Bill is Congress’ own Bharat Reddy.
Drawing the attention of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara to Bharat Reddy’s provocative speech in Ballari, he sought to know if it was not a hate speech. “What else is it if it is not a provocative speech?”
Bharat Reddy had threatened that he will “raze Janardhana Reddy’s house to the ground and finish him off,” Vijayendra said.
If the Congress government has any respect for law and order, it should first arrest its MLA. Such goondaism can’t be tolerated and stern action should be taken against those involved in the clash. BJP strongly condemns this audacious attempt to disturb peace in Ballari, Vijayendra said.
He said BJP leaders Sriramulu, Anand Singh and Somashekhara Reddy installed a statue of Maharishi Valmiki at a circle in Ballari 25 years ago as a mark of respect to the saint poet. Now, for political gains, Congress workers indulged in rowdyism by illegally putting up banners and posters around the circle. They attacked BJP workers and opened fire in the air to threaten them, he alleged.
Vijayendra condemned the act of using private gunmen to open fire at Janardhana Reddy’s house in Ballari. He urged Dr Parameshwara to take immediate action against such elements before the situation gets out of control in the state.
Responding to a question, Vijayendra claimed that a Congress worker lost his life due to bullet injuries he suffered after the gunmen opened fire.
Vijayendra blamed Bharat Reddy alone for the clash in front of Janardhana Reddy’s house. Stones were thrown at BJP workers and one Satish Reddy allegedly directed the gunmen to open fire. BJP condemns this rowdyism, he said.
The Congress MLA is under the illusion that he can scare Janardhana Reddy, Sriramulu, Anand Singh, Somashekhara Reddy and other BJP leaders. “Our party workers will not lose courage because of this incident,” Vijayendra said.
Earlier, Vijayendra met the injured BJP workers, who are being treated in a private hospital in Ballari. Sriramulu, Anand Singh and other BJP leaders accompanied Vijayendra.
Goonda Raj, says BJP, seeks arrest of Cong MLA
Bengaluru: BJP leaders R Ashoka and Cheluvadi Narayanswamy have demanded immediate police protection for former ministers and MLAs G Janardhana Reddy and B Sriramulu, citing “life-threatening dangers” and called for a judicial inquiry into the Ballari clash.
At a press conference on Friday, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ashoka accused Congress workers of illegally entering the homes of Reddy’s supporters, and demanded their arrest under the Goonda Act. He blamed Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy for the death of Congress worker Rajashekar and demanded his immediate arrest.
LoP in Council Narayanaswamy echoed these sentiments, calling the New Year’s first day a “sacrifice of a human life” and a sign of “goonda raj”. He demanded that the Congress MLA and his supporters be booked, not Reddy and Sriramulu.