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Uproar in state’s Upper House over BJP MLC’s derogatory jibe
The uproar began during Zero Hour as Congress MLCs protested against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks about BR Ambedkar in Parliament.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Legislative Council witnessed high drama on Thursday after Congress leaders accused BJP MLC and former minister CT Ravi of using derogatory language against Minister for Women and Child Development Laxmi Hebbalkar. The incident sparked protests both inside and outside the Council, with Hebbalkar’s supporters attempting to storm the legislative hall and even charged against the MLC.
The uproar began during Zero Hour as Congress MLCs protested against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks about BR Ambedkar in Parliament. Amid the commotion, Ravi reportedly made a comment about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, triggering a sharp response from Hebbalkar. Allegedly, Ravi retaliated by hurling an offensive slur at her, which prompted Hebbalkar to leave the House.
Congress MLC Nagaraj Yadav alleged that Ravi used abusive language repeatedly. “BJP leaders called Rahul Gandhi a drug addict, and Hebbalkar objected to this. She accused him of being ‘a murderer who had killed two people,’ at which CT Ravi abused her and called her a (derogatory word). She told me, (MLCs) BK Hariprasad, Yathindra, and others that he called her that 10 times,” Yadav told the media.
The accusations against Ravi surfaced against the backdrop of an earlier controversy. In February 2019, two individuals were killed in a car accident involving his vehicle in Kunigal, Tumakuru district. This incident was referenced by Hebbalkar during the verbal exchange.
Following the alleged remarks, Hebbalkar, along with Congress leaders, approached Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti to file a formal complaint. Chairman Horatti directed officials to review video and audio recordings from the session to verify the claims. According to officials, however, the investigation faced challenges as microphones had been turned off after the session was adjourned, and no stenographic records were available.
Congress leaders strongly condemned Ravi’s alleged behaviour. “In no civilized society can such language be used to address a lady member. This reflects BJP’s attitude towards women,” said Congress MLC BK Hariprasad, who claimed to have witnessed the incident. Yathindra Siddaramaiah, son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and an MLC, also alleged that Ravi used slurs against Hebbalkar during the heated exchange.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah strongly criticized Ravi’s alleged remarks, terming them a criminal offence. “He used very filthy words for Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar. She has filed a police complaint, and the law will take its course,” Siddaramaiah said.
News of the incident quickly spread, sparking protests from Hebbalkar’s supporters outside the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha in Belagavi, where the winter session of the Karnataka legislature is underway. The supporters blocked Ravi’s car and demanded immediate action against him.
A group of protesters also entered the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha premises, raising slogans against Ravi. Some attempted to force their way into the Legislative Council hall but were prevented by the police. The security personnel later dispersed the protestors and restored order.
Denying the allegations, Ravi dismissed them as baseless and accused the Congress of manufacturing the controversy to divert attention from governance issues in North Karnataka. “I didn’t make that statement. Congress is known for making fake allegations,” Ravi said. He asked officials to thoroughly review video and audio records from the session. “If the allegations are true, they’ll be on record; if not, they won’t,” he added.
Responding to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s remarks that it is the criminal offence, Ravi said, “Spreading such false allegations and carrying out political defamation (against me) does not behove you, or the position you hold. There are recordings of all proceedings in the Assembly and Council. Without looking into any of those records, does it behove you to make false allegations against me?”
BJP state president BY Vijayendra came to Ravi’s defence, describing him as a seasoned legislator with a refined approach. “CT Ravi is a seasoned legislator with vast experience and a refined orator known for using cultured language. He is not one to cross the boundaries of civility or use uncultured expressions. Regarding today’s incident in the Legislative Council, allegations about inappropriate language directed at Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar have already been clarified by Ravi, who firmly denied the accusations,” Vijayendra said.
He accused the Congress of orchestrating unnecessary chaos to distract from allegations of corruption and poor governance. “Coming from an organization rooted in the ethos of revering speech, it is natural for someone like C.T. Ravi to be provoked when Congress members used terms like ‘murderer’ during their protest in the Council. The Congress has adopted a new strategy to create unnecessary chaos, distracting the public from the wave of anti-development governance and corruption scandals surrounding them,” Vijayendra added.
Chairman Basavaraj Horatti held marathon meetings with leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties in an attempt to resolve the matter. However, the session, which was initially adjourned for a brief period, could not resume even by 5pm.
