Congress MLA B.K. Hariprasad has courted controversy once again by refusing to answer queries by the CCB police over his "Godhra-like" incident remark made last week. Upset over police landing at the government guest house to question him, the MLC wondered if Karnataka was being ruled by the Congress government or some outsider.
A former Rajya Sabha member, Hariprasad on Friday expressed displeasure over police approaching him to record his statement following his comments on the possibility of a “Godhra-like” incident in Karnataka ahead of the Ayodhya Ram temple consecration ceremony on January 22. While Hariprasad refused to answer the CCB queries, he asked them to bring a warrant or issue summons before interrogating him.
“A police officer came over to Kumarakrupa guest house at 11am (on Friday) on the directions of the police commissioner and DIG. I refused to say anything because if at all I have committed any crime or mistake, a proper procedure has to be followed. If they bring a warrant, I am ready to go to the police station and give my statement on the issue of Ayodhya. I had made a statement that people who are travelling to Ayodhya from Karnataka should get all the security from the state to avoid any untoward incident. Taking cognisance of my statement, they wanted to do the inquiry. I told them I don't want any VVIP treatment during the inquiry. If at all they want to probe me, they should summon me to the police station, and conduct a narco test in the presence of the BJP state president and also livestream it for the benefit of the public (people). I refused to answer any of their questions,” Hariprasad told reporters.
Further, targeting the state government, Hariprasad alleged that some opposition leaders facing hate speech charges were being given the “VVIP” treatment by the state police.
“The police rolled out a red carpet for (RSS leader) Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat and (BJP MP) Anantkumar Hegde and gave them VVIP treatment. I want none of it. I am ready to face any inquiry. I was under the impression that we have a Congress government in the state. Despite being a Congress leader, if this is my plight, now imagine the plight of an ordinary party worker. I have done nothing wrong. The high command is there to take note of all this,” lamented Hariprasad.
Hariprasad had cautioned the Congress government in Karnataka against the possibility of a “Godhra-like” incident if no safety measures were put in place to facilitate people from the state travelling to Ayodhya during the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple to be held on January 22.
“The state government should take all precautions because, in the past, the Kar Sevaks were burnt to death in Godhra, Gujarat. Some people will try to create a similar situation in Karnataka. The government should give no room for such untoward incidents to take place. The state government needs to provide proper bandobast for those wanting to visit Ayodhya. Else, we might have to witness another Godhra incident in Karnataka,” Hariprasad had said referring to the 2002 Godhra train burning case that had led to communal riots in Gujarat. “I can tell you some leaders of some organisations are instigating BJP leaders in some states,” Hariprasad had claimed.
Senior BJP leader and former chief minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda had not only objected to Hariprasad’s remarks calling it “dangerous” and an attempt to create “fear psychosis” among the people intending to travel to Ayodhya for the event. He also demanded Hariprasad’s immediate arrest and probe by the National Investigation Agency.
Hariprasad’s frequent outbursts against Siddaramaiah is a strategy to diminish the stature of Siddaramaiah as the undisputed leader of the OBC community, feel Siddaramaiah supporters. While Hariprasad is an OBC (Ediga) leader like Siddaramaiah (Kuruba), the former has identified himself in the KPCC chief D.K. Shivakumar’s camp after Siddaramaiah denied him a cabinet berth. Hariprasad has openly criticised the chief minister and mocked his “lavish” lifestyle despite claiming to be a “socialist”.
This time, Hariprasad indirectly hit back at Siddaramaiah saying, “The party men have to ask questions to the chief minister about today’s development. I have travelled across the country and I am not the one to be cowed by the police. If anybody thinks they can intimidate me using the police, they are in an illusion,” charged Hariprasad.
