A video of senior BJP leader from Karnataka, N. Ravikumar, making a hateful remark suggesting that Kalaburagi District Collector Fauzia Tarannum ‘might have come from Pakistan’ has sparked widespread backlash.
Ravikumar, who serves as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) and Chief Whip of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, made the remarks during a protest rally on May 24 as part of the BJP’s ‘Kalaburagi Chalo’ campaign.
No FIR has been filed in the incident yet.
Addressing supporters, he alleged that the district administration was operating under the influence of the ruling Congress party.
“The Kalaburagi DC office has also lost its independence. The DC madam is also listening to what they [Congress] say. I don’t know whether the DC has come from Pakistan or is an IAS officer here,” Ravikumar said.
The comment has sparked widespread condemnation, with activists and progressive groups calling the remarks “insulting” and “communal,” and demanding disciplinary action against the BJP leader.
Tarannum, a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, currently heads the district administration in Kalaburagi. under the Congress-led state government. Though not directly involved in the recent political flashpoints, her position has come under scrutiny amid rising tensions between the two major parties.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.