A major political controversy has erupted in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district after BJP MLC and Chief Whip of the Opposition, N Ravikumar, made a communal and derogatory comment about District Collector Fauzia Tarannum, intensifying tensions following the recent Chittapur guest house episode.
Speaking during a protest on May 24 under the BJP’s Kalaburagi Chalo campaign, Ravikumar accused the district administration of acting under the Congress government’s influence. He then questioned the Collector’s neutrality with an offensive comment:
“I don’t know whether the DC came from Pakistan or if she’s really an IAS officer.”
The insulting insinuation has drawn sharp criticism from civil society organisations, progressive groups, and members of the ruling Congress party, who have demanded immediate disciplinary action against Ravikumar for what they termed as communal slander and an attack on public service integrity.
Fauzia Tarannum, who serves as the District Collector of Kalaburagi, was not directly involved in political matters but has been dragged into the spotlight amid political friction between BJP and Congress.
The protest aimed to demand the ouster of Minister Priyank Kharge, following the May 21 siege of a guest house by Congress workers in Chittapur, where Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanswamy was reportedly staying.
Congress leader and state minister Sharan Prakash Patil condemned Ravikumar’s remarks, calling them an attempt to vitiate communal harmony and malign a sincere officer. “This is a clear attempt to politicise the bureaucracy,” he said.
The incident has further widened the political divide in Kalaburagi, raising concerns about communal rhetoric and administrative independence.
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