KALABURAGI : An FIR against chief whip of opposition in the Legislative Council N Ravikumar of BJP was filed at the Station Bazaar police station here on Monday for his remarks against Kalaburagi deputy commissioner Fouzia Tarannum.
Meanwhile, the IAS Officers’ Association of Karnataka criticised Ravikumar for his remarks against the DC and sought an unconditional apology from him.
After these developments, Ravikumar expressed regret for his remarks. The remarks he made were “a slip of the tongue” and he would withdraw them, he said in a statement.
Based on a complaint from social worker Dattatreya Shantappa Ikkalaki, the police registered the FIR against MLC Ravikumar. At a public function here on May 24, Ravikumar allegedly sought to know if the deputy commissioner hails from Pakistan or India, Dattatreya stated in his complaint.
Ravikumar also accused local police officers Chandrashekhar Tigade, Nataraj Nade and Shankargowda Patil of not being capable of performing their duties and sought to know if Kalaburagi is in Karnataka or in Pakistan. Ravikumar blamed district in-charge minister Priyank Kharge for all this, Dattatreya stated in the complaint.
He handed over a pendrive to the police in support of his complaint.
In a press note on Monday, the IAS Officers’ Association condemned Ravikumar’s remarks against the DC. The note stated that Fouzia Tarannum is an officer of impeccable integrity with an exemplary track record and deep dedication to public service and the state. Ravikumar’s remarks against her are unjustified and unwarranted. Such provocative remarks not only malign the dignity of committed civil servants, but also cause mental agony and amount to harassment.
In a statement, Priyank Kharge said BJP leaders have started making derogatory remarks against officers also.
In his statement, Ravikumar expressed deep regret over his “intemperate, but inadvertent” remarks against the deputy commissioner. Ravikumar said he holds the officer in high esteem and he has no complaints, whatsoever, about her professional integrity.