Should Priyank Kharge Be Dismissed After Allegations of Violence?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Karnataka BJP demands dismissal of Minister Priyank Kharge.
- Allegations involve an attack on opposition leader.
- Concerns raised about law and order in the state.
- Narayanaswamy claims threat to his life.
- Police accused of failing to protect during incident.
Bengaluru, May 22 (NationPress) A delegation from the Karnataka BJP visited Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot at Raj Bhavan on Thursday, advocating for the removal of Minister Priyank Kharge from his position as he is accused of orchestrating an attack on Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, in Kalaburagi.
Narayanaswamy had made a disparaging comparison of Minister Priyank Kharge to a “dog”, which allegedly prompted Kharge’s supporters to encircle and detain him for five hours, insisting on an apology.
The delegation, led by R. Ashoka, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, included BJP MLAs and MLCs who presented a memorandum urging the dismissal of Priyank Kharge.
In statements to the media, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy expressed, “There is a genuine threat to my life. If anything happens to me, this government and Priyank Kharge’s gang will be responsible.”
Narayanaswamy criticized the police for creating an environment that led to his effective detention in Kalaburagi after he criticized Priyank Kharge.
He urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to remove Kharge from the Cabinet, warning, “If that does not happen, the Chief Minister himself will be held responsible for any future incidents. My security needs to be increased.” He questioned the preferential treatment given to Kharge due to his lineage, asking if it justified his continued presence in the Cabinet.
Chalavadi Narayanaswamy lamented the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, asserting, “My straightforward speech does not please them. I know they’ve been conspiring against me ever since they were forced to return the land.”
He alleged that the police failed to act against a mob of 25–30 individuals who created chaos, despite being heavily present at the scene, saying, “It felt like we were detained by them.”
He further pointed out that “Who was it that compared the Prime Minister to a venomous snake? It was Mallikarjun Kharge.” He noted that while there is evidence of such remarks from Kharge, any response from the BJP is met with hostility.
The BJP plans to organize a protest and file complaints with the DGP, Home Minister, and the Chief Minister.
Opposition Leader R. Ashoka accused Congress “goons” of taking the law into their own hands, claiming Minister Priyank Kharge was behind the attack on Narayanaswamy. He stated, “An attempt was made to assault him.”
He also criticized the police for failing to protect Narayanaswamy during the incident.