DAVANAGERE: The Davanagere police have registered an FIR against Harihar MLA BP Harish on charges of abusing a Dalit farmer with casteist slurs. Based on a complaint by Kantaraj of Kadajji village in Davangere taluk, the police booked the MLA under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Harish had gone to the village on January 12 to check on reports of illegal silt removal from a lake for use in agriculture. In the complaint, Kantaraj claimed that the MLA’s car blocked his tractor when he was transporting silt from the lake.
“I got down from the tractor and went to the car and saw MLA Harish in it. When I asked why you blocked my tractor, the MLA, his son and his PA got down from the car and asked me on what basis I was lifting the silt. They also reprimanded me rudely,” the complainant said.
When Kantaraj made repeated requests to let go, they started to abuse him. The MLA too kept shouting at him, the complaint stated. “Then some people from our village came and even though the MLA, his son and his PA joined them and told them not to lift the soil, they reprimanded me again and abused my caste. Following this, the people near the lake came and formed a group. Then other villagers and elders pacified everyone and sent them away,” Kantaraj said.
In his complaint, the farmer sought legal action against the MLA, his son and his PA for verbally abusing and threatening him. A case has been registered against the trio under sections 352 351 (2), 126 (2) of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act 1986.
Recently, a case was registered against Harish on charges of insulting and abusing Davangere SP Uma Prashanth.