BELAGAVI: The 10-day winter session of the legislature ended on a sad note here on Thursday.
Soon after the Council was adjourned sine die, BJP MLC CT Ravi was arrested by Belagavi police on a complaint filed by senior PA of Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, alleging that he (Ravi) made derogatory remarks against her (Hebbalkar) in the House.
Security was tightened around Suvarna Vidhana Soudha as soon as the news became viral. Hebbalkar’s supporters gheraoed Ravi at the soudha entrance, while some attempted to attack him inside the soudha premises. When the House was supposed to resume proceedings at 4 pm, Hebbalkar’s supporters tried to enter the Council hall on the second floor of the soudha, raising slogans against Ravi. However, policemen foiled their attempt to enter the Council hall.
Congress conspiring to tarnish Ravi’s image: BJP
Meanwhile, opposition MLCs told reporters that the allegations against Ravi were false and he did not make any derogatory remarks against Hebbalkar. They accused Congress legislators of conspiring to tarnish Ravi’s image.
BJP MLC Arun said it was unfortunate that Ravi was attacked by some miscreants inside the soudha when the House was adjourned on Thursday afternoon. MLC Chennaraj Hattiholi said many MLCs, including Yatindra Siddaramaiah, had stated that they heard Ravi making derogatory remarks against Hebbalkar in the House.
DyCM, Ministers meet Horatti
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, ministers HK Patil, Eshwar Khandre, Priyank Kharge, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Dr Sharanprakash Patil, and senior leaders Bhosraju, BK Hariprasad, Nagaraj Yadav, Umashri, Nayana Motamma, Rupa Shridhar, Lata Mallikarjun, and Annapurna Tukaram met Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti and held a meeting over Ravi’s remarks against Hebbalkar.
When the House resumed proceedings after three hours of drama and protests outside, Horatti read out a complaint filed by Hebbalkar and adjourned the House sine die.
Ravi and other opposition MLCs left the House even as Congress legislators raised slogans. A team of policemen arrested Ravi as he came out of the soudha.
Case referred to panel
Ravi’s remarks against Hebbalkar echoed in the Lower House also. Congress legislators raised the matter and attacked opposition members, who defended Ravi. The House witnessed noisy scenes for sometime and Speaker UT Khader announced that the matter will be referred to the Privilege Committee. Even as opposition members questioned how could the Assembly refer the matter, which took place in the Upper House, to the Privilege Committee, Khader ignored it and adjourned the House sine die.
BJP stages protest
BJP legislators staged a protest outside the soudha after Ravi was taken away by the police. They denied allegations that Ravi made derogatory remarks against Hebbalkar and said he was attacked by her supporters inside the soudha. They hit out at the government for failing to provide security to legislators inside the soudha.