BALLARI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protested against the clashes that occurred over putting up of Valmiki banners in Ballari in Karnataka and demanded a CBI investigation into the entire incident involving gunning down a party worker identified as Rajashekar Reddy and also urged the state government for immediate arrest of Congress leader Bharath Reddy as his gunmen were involved in the incident.
“No one has the power to suppress the strength of former ministers Gali Janardhan Reddy and B Sriramulu. The BJP will go from village to village and wage a struggle to uproot the corrupt Congress government. The BJP will always stand with Reddy and Sriramulu,” said former Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai.
State President BY Vijayendra, flanked by Leaders of Opposition of both the Houses R Ashoka and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy along with senior leaders BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai, Govind Karjol, Janardhan Reddy and Sriramulu addressed a massive crowd of party workers to protest against the clashes that occurred over putting up posters in Ballari.
Addressing the protest, Bommai said that the party must prepare itself for a decisive battle. “Over the last two-and-a-half years of Congress rule, law and order in the State has completely deteriorated. People are tired of hearing daily news of murders and rapes. Police high-handedness is prevailing across the state in many forms”.
The MP said there are two reasons behind the incident in Ballari. First, Janardhan Reddy returned to Ballari as per court orders, which has made certain leaders fear for their political survival. Secondly, the coming together of Janardhan Reddy and his close friend Sriramulu has shaken the chairs of Congress leaders in Ballari. “Sriramulu’s speed and Janardhan Reddy’s strength together are like a raging firestorm. Compared to Congress bullets, their chests are stronger. It is impossible to suppress the strength of Janardhan Reddy and Sriramulu”.
The former CM alleged that the police allegedly stripped a woman in Hubballi while she was protesting and put her in jail instead of arresting the culprit police personnel. “In Kolar, a woman officer was threatened with being burnt alive. In Bhadravati, an MLA’s son threatened an officer. Similarly, in Magadi, a tahsildar was threatened with being beaten with slippers. Burning people alive and beating them with slippers has become Congress culture. There is no peace for anyone in the state”.
Bommai said the Valmiki community had been fighting for an increase in reservation for the last 30 years, demanding that it be raised from 3% to 7%. “The BJP created a separate department for the Scheduled Tribes. When Valmiki community seers and Sriramulu protested, not a single Congress leader supported them. When he was Chief Minister, the reservation was increased from 3% to 7%, benefiting thousands of children who are now getting medical and engineering seats and government jobs”. This was possible due to the leadership of B.S. Yediyurappa.
Bommai alleged that nearly Rs 100 crore from the Valmiki Corporation was misused by Congress MPs for elections. “The ST community will never forgive this. You talk about the Valmiki community—come for a debate on who has actually done more for them. Congress has committed a grave injustice to the community”. He called upon Sriramulu to resolve not to rest until justice is delivered to the Valmiki community and urged all Valmiki people to unite and fight under Sriramulu’s leadership.
He further alleged that shots were fired at Janardhan Reddy’s residence while he was at home, and said that Bharath Reddy would inevitably face the consequences of this act. Janardhan Reddy cannot be eliminated politically in any manner, he said, adding that the developmental work done by Reddy for Ballari is immense. “After 2008, Ballari witnessed significant development in roads and drinking water facilities, benefiting the public”.
Bommai accused Congress of being responsible for the Ballari mining loot and said the party has a habit of filing false cases. “Despite having no connection to mining irregularities, cases were foisted against Janardhan Reddy, which were later dismissed by the court. Truth always prevails,” he said. He added that the BJP will fight until justice is delivered in the death of Rajasekhar and will not rest until then. “The BJP will continue to go to every village and uproot the corrupt Congress government. We have come here to declare that we stand firmly behind Janardhan Reddy and Sriramulu for the development of Ballari”.
