Court Urges BJP MLC to Apologise for Offensive Remark
Karnataka High Court on Thursday verbally advised BJP MLC N Ravikumar to extend an apology to Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Tarannum for his objectionable comment during a protest. A vacation bench, led by Justice Suraj Govindaraj, issued this suggestion while reviewing Ravikumar’s plea contesting the FIR filed against him.
On May 24, amid a BJP demonstration, Ravikumar allegedly accused the IAS officer of functioning under Congress influence and controversially stated, “She appears to be from Pakistan.” Following this, Kalaburagi’s Station Bazaar police registered an FIR on May 26, citing multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — including 197, 224, 299, 302, 351, and 353 — along with Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The judge strongly disapproved of the comment, likening it to prior instances of misconduct involving high-ranking officials. “You’ve seen similar outcomes in Madhya Pradesh and the Supreme Court. You’re no exception. Such language is unacceptable,” he noted.
Ravikumar’s counsel argued that the statement made no mention of caste or community, challenging the applicability of the Atrocities Act. The lawyer also claimed that an apology had already been made. However, the bench responded that an apology must be accepted by the individual offended. “Let her accept it first; only then can we proceed,” the court said.
The state’s public prosecutor added that the written complaint didn’t fully reflect the video evidence. The bench directed submission of the video via pen drive and assured no forceful steps would be taken if the MLC cooperated. The judge urged de-escalation, stating, “It shouldn’t have occurred, but now it should be resolved.”
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