Derogatory remark row : Police yet to file FIR on my complaint, says BJP MLC Ravi

Bengaluru: MLC and former national general secretary of BJP C.T. Ravi on Wednesday said the Belagavi police were not registering an FIR on his complaint submitted on December 19, 2024, in connection with police highhandedness linked to the derogatory remark row involving Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru at the BJP party headquarters, Ravi stated, “On December 19 night, I filed a complaint and it has not been registered till this moment and FIR has not been filed. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers in-vestigating the derogatory remark row are claiming that there are two cases against me and they want to send notice. Interestingly, they do not know about the complaint lodged by me. There is one law for the Congress leaders and another set of laws for others,” he chided.

“When I met the DGP and IGP regarding the case, I asked them about my complaint lodged on December 19, and they said they do not have information,” Ravi stated.

“Home Minister G. Parameshwara has expressed his helplessness in public and not to trouble him more, I did not lodge a complaint with him. The police officers have not acted as per the rule book and the Constitution in my case, and action should be tak-en against them,” Ravi demanded.Talking about the derogatory remark row, Ravi stated, “I have mentioned this many times. The whole case should be viewed in three dimensions. The Speaker and Chairman are the supreme authority inside the State Legislature as per the Constitu-tion. Article 194 gives special authority to the Speaker of the Assembly, Chairman of the Council and members.”

“The incidents took place outside the session in Belagavi Suvarna Vidhana Soudha...Anti-social elements are trying to attack me and the police are working as ‘supari killers’. In my letter to the Governor, I have clearly mentioned the threats to me and also named persons. It is left to the government on how they make arrangements in this regard,” Ravi maintained.

The statement indirectly targeted Minister Priyank Kharge (Kalaburagi), Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar (Belagavi) and Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar (Kanakapura).“I want to convey wishes for the new year. The Congress has completed one and half years after coming to power. The achievements of this government are price rise and corruption,” he stated.

The row erupted in December 2024 when Ravi allegedly referred to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, as a “drug addict”. This provoked strong reactions, with Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar calling Ravi a “murderer”. Ravi reportedly responded with an obscene remark directed at Hebbalkar.The alleged comment led to Ravi’s arrest on charges of using derogatory language against Hebbalkar. However, following a High Court directive, Ravi was released, creating further political drama.The Congress government has handed over the case to the special wing Criminal Investigation Department (CID) even as the Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti said the case was a closed chapter and the police interference was unacceptable.

Meanwhile, Minister Hebbalkar challenged Ravi to swear before Lord Manju-natheshwara at the famous Hindu pilgrimage centre in Dharmasthala in Karnataka, regarding his alleged use of derogatory words against her in the Legislative Council.