Karnataka’s BJP Member of Legislative Council (MLC) N Ravikumar, whose “Pakistan” remark at a Muslim IAS officer in Kalaburagi had landed him in trouble, has apologised for his communal comment.
The BJP leader had questioned if Fouzia Taranum, the Deputy Commissioner of Kalaburagi, was “from Pakistan” during a protest in front of her office. He apologised after his comments sparked outrage, and a police case was filed against him.
Calling it an “emotional outburst” that he should have avoided, Mr Ravikumar said the BJP is a responsible party and his remark does not match with its ethos.
“It was an emotional remark. I should not have said it. The BJP is a responsible central ruling party. It was not right on my part to make such a remark. I want to apologise for my remark,” he told NDTV.
Mr Ravikumar had made the comment when he and his supporters were protesting against the alleged mistreatment of Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council.
The ruling Congress workers had reportedly confined the Leader of Opposition inside a guest house over a “dog” remark on state minister Priyank Kharge, the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
“I don’t know whether the Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner has come from Pakistan or is an IAS officer here. Looking at your applause, it seems like the DC has indeed come from Pakistan,” Mr Ravikumar had said during the protest.
The leader faced criticism for his communal remark, which was seen as an attack on a civil servant’s patriotism and religious identity.
Priyank Kharge had condemned the comment as “highly distasteful” and wondered if people who speak in this manner can be called “true Indians”.
A Kalaburagi resident filed a complaint against him, after which a police case was filed against Mr Ravikumar under sections of threat of injury to a public servant, malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings, and the law against atrocities on people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
