Karnataka High Court Orders BJP MLC to Apologize for Controversial Remarks
Court Directs Apology from BJP MLC
On Thursday, the Karnataka High Court mandated that Bharatiya Janata Party MLC N Ravi Kumar issue a personal apology to Kalaburagi's Deputy Commissioner, Fouzia Taranum, following his controversial comment suggesting she “may have come from Pakistan.”
Taranum, an officer from the 2015 Indian Administrative Service cadre, was at the center of this incident.
Justice Suraj Govindaraj instructed Kumar to apologize directly to Taranum and postponed the hearing regarding his petition against the first information report filed against him until June 6.
Govindaraj emphasized, “Make your apologies to the lady in question, ensure she accepts it, and place it on record for our consideration,” as reported.
The court also highlighted that Kumar should take heed from the backlash faced by BJP leader Vijay Shah, who recently encountered criticism for his communal remarks aimed at Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
Shah had previously stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi taught a lesson to those who had “widowed the daughters of India” by sending a representative from their own community. This remark was reiterated by Shah shortly after its initial mention.
While Shah did not specify anyone, opposition parties accused him of targeting Qureshi, who serves as an official spokesperson during media briefings related to Operation Sindoor.
In this case, Kumar, who serves as the chief whip of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, made his remarks about Taranum during a rally organized by the Hindutva Party on May 24, protesting against the alleged mistreatment of BJP MLC Chalavadi Narayanaswamy in Chittapur.
On May 21, Congress workers had reportedly blocked a government guest house, preventing Narayanaswamy from exiting after he allegedly compared Priyank Kharge, the son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, to a “dog.”
During the May 24 rally, Kumar claimed that Taranum's office had lost its autonomy, alleging that she only listened to Congress directives.
“I do not know if she comes from Pakistan or is an IAS officer here,” Kumar was quoted as saying. “Listening to your applause, I think she might have come from Pakistan.”
Following these statements, the Karnataka Police filed a first information report against Kumar.
He was charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which address prejudicial assertions against national integration, threats to public servants, and acts intended to incite religious feelings.
During Thursday's hearing, Kumar's attorney informed the court that he had already expressed regret for his comments and sought interim protection from arrest.
The state government's counsel assured the court that Kumar would not face arrest if he cooperated with the ongoing investigation.
The court instructed the state to provide relevant video evidence of the incident and directed Kumar's lawyer to submit an affidavit formally documenting his apology.