BJP Chikkamagaluru Prez, party workers protesting CT Ravi's arrest booked

Chikkamagaluru (The Uttam Hindu): Karnataka police have booked an FIR against Chikkamagaluru District BJP President Devaraja Shetty and more than 100 workers, who were protesting the arrest of BJP MLC C. T. Ravi over the alleged derogatory remarks against Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, sources said on Saturday. Ravi, who was arrested on Thursday, was released the next night after the Karnataka High Court's order.

The BJP had called for a state-wide bandh against the move of the Congress-led Karnataka government to arrest Ravi and torture him. Ravi sat over dharna on a public road in the wee hours of Friday and claimed that a conspiracy was hatched to kill him while being in police custody.

The BJP workers and party District President from Ravi's native Chikkamagaluru were outraged and staged a protest against the Congress government. As the Congress workers tried to barge inside the residence of Ravi in Chikkamagaluru, the BJP workers were agitated and protested strongly.

The police stated that 10 FIRs were booked against BJP workers across the police stations in Chikkamagaluru city police station and Basavanahalli police station.

The police said that the BJP workers indulged in disrupting public peace, burning tyres in public places and forcefully shut down the shops and establishments. The police also stated that the move of BJP workers to block the highway is also taken seriously.

The police had to resort to the lathi-charge when BJP and Congress workers indulged in heavy arguments and started fighting on Friday.

Meanwhile, Ravi thanked BJP party workers who stood by him during difficult hours.

"To my fellow workers across the state who protested against the Tughlaq government, your unwavering support has further strengthened my resolve. Your encouragement has empowered me to fight even harder against evil forces," Ravi stated.

"As members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, we stand united and will never allow Karnataka to become a "goonda republic," Ravi underlined.

Chaos and drama unfolded on Thursday as, during a heated debate session in the Legislative Council, Ravi allegedly referred to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, as a "drug addict".

Taking objection to the remarks, Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar slammed Ravi, and called him a "murderer". Responding, the BJP leader allegedly used an obscene term against the woman minister.