Bengaluru, Jan 19 (NationPress) Mining tycoon and BJP legislator Gali Janardhana Reddy has sharply criticized the Congress-led Karnataka government for its refusal to transfer the Ballari violence case to the CBI. He raised the alarming question, "Is Karnataka on the verge of becoming like Sri Lanka?" during a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Bengaluru.

In light of the recent attack on his residence in Ballari, Reddy lamented, "Can a legislator’s home be subjected to such violence?" He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of downplaying the seriousness of the Ballari incidents, during which Ballari MLA Nara Bharath Reddy allegedly incited violence with petrol bombs, leading to the death of a party worker and a failed assassination attempt on himself.

Reddy claimed that the BJP core committee has unanimously called for a CBI investigation, reiterating this demand during a protest rally held in Ballari last Saturday. However, he criticized the Chief Minister for stating he had already referred seven cases to the CBI and questioning the BJP's record on this matter.

"This isn’t merely about the number of cases submitted during the tenures of previous Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa or Siddaramaiah. If the Chief Minister genuinely seeks justice and takes pride in his record, why delay this case's transfer?" Reddy questioned.

He further alleged that the reluctance to act stems from the involvement of a Congress legislator and the resulting fatality. Reddy asserted, "By only detaining three assailants and shifting the investigation to the CID, it seems there is an effort to downplay the incident and make it fade from public memory."

Reddy accused Siddaramaiah of diverting public attention towards unrelated issues like illegal mining and a proposed padyatra instead of clarifying why the case hasn’t been submitted to the CBI. "Instead of addressing the transfer, he misleads the public by discussing illegal mining and claiming our padyatra is driven by jealousy," he said.

In the context of recent events affecting the Valmiki community, Reddy highlighted a tragic suicide of a government employee linked to the Valmiki scam, along with the murder of a Congress worker related to a Valmiki statue banner installation, in addition to the assassination attempt on himself. He questioned, "How many lives will be lost in the name of Maharshi Valmiki?"

In light of these events, former minister B. Sriramulu, a significant figure in the Valmiki community, plans to embark on a padyatra from Ballari to Bengaluru. Reddy insisted, "This padyatra is not intended for negative purposes. You have done nothing for the community. How many more lives must be sacrificed in the name of Maharshi Valmiki?"

He mentioned that the state BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra confirmed the padyatra's organization was a consensus decision, with the date to be determined after January 20 in consultation with higher party leadership.

Reddy also criticized Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for prioritizing his public image over accountability. "To enhance his image, he delivered a speech during the RCB Cup celebrations despite 11 lives being lost in a stampede. Given the gunfire directed at a legislator and the murder of a worker, what can we expect from such leaders?"

He noted, "I exhibited the bullet pellet to the public on the day of the incident, and since then, seven bullets have been found on my property. We possess video evidence showing the deceased worker being fired upon from behind, which is currently under review."