‘Stand by police statement’: K’taka Home Minister on BJP worker stripping case
Bengaluru: Referring to the BJP’s criticism over the alleged assault and stripping case involving a woman worker, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara said the party should not indulge in politics in the name of a woman and that the government stands by the statement issued by the police department.
He said the police have clarified that the BJP woman worker stripped herself while being arrested and created a ruckus.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday, Parameshwara said, “Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar has already issued a clarification, and I stand by that statement. There is nothing more to it. If someone wants to make a political issue out of it, we will handle it. The clarification given is sufficient. Let the BJP make any allegations.”
He further said, “Police Commissioner Shashikumar has clearly stated that the police did not strip her. During her arrest, she stripped herself. When the Police Commissioner himself has issued a clarification, what more is required? Bringing politics into everything is not appropriate. Let them carry out politics on some other issue.”
Parameshwara maintained that politicising an issue involving a woman was not appropriate. “We will not target party workers based on their political affiliation. The police cannot do that and will not do that. We will not allow any situation in which the police act in such a manner,” he said.
An alleged assault and stripping of a BJP woman worker by police occurred in Hubballi city in Karnataka, reportedly in connection with a dispute arising from a voter revision exercise. A purported video of the incident surfaced on Wednesday, triggering shock and serious concern. The incident occurred within the limits of the Keshvapur police station in Hubballi. According to sources, BJP worker Sujatha Handi, also known as Vijayalaxmi Handi, was allegedly brutalised following a complaint lodged against her by Hubballi-Dharwad Congress corporator Suvarna Kallakuntla.
It is alleged that Sujatha Handi was targeted after she undertook voter mapping as part of the voter list revision process. Reportedly angered by this, the Congress corporator lodged a complaint against her at the Keshvapur police station.
The Karnataka Police on Wednesday rejected the BJP worker’s claims that she was assaulted and stripped by cops during a dispute related to the voter revision exercise in Hubballi.
Responding to the assault and stripping of a BJP worker by male and female police personnel, Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar rejected the allegations, stating that she “had stripped herself”.
An FIR was registered against nine people at the Keshwapur police station in Hubballi on Thursday.
According to police, the case has been filed against Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Congress member Suvarna Kalakuntla and seven others, with police booking them for serious charges, including attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and rioting.
The FIR was registered based on a complaint lodged by Mariadas, brother of the victim, BJP activist Sujatha Handi, regarding an incident that allegedly took place on January 2 at Chalukya Nagar in Hubballi. The accused have been booked under Sections 109, 115(2), 118(1), 189(2), 191(2), 74, 190 and 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The BJP workers staged a protest demanding action against Congress corporator Suvarna Kalakuntla, following which the police took the step. The protest was led by former BJP MLA Seema Masuti, Mayor Jyoti Patil and Deputy Mayor Santosh Chauhan.