Bengaluru, Jan 8 (IANS) The BJP on Thursday accused the Karnataka Police of allegedly stripping a female party worker in Hubballi and demanded a judicial enquiry in the case.
At a press conference the Karnataka BJP claimed that the police had acted like Dushasana and brought shame to the entire state.
It may be noted that Dushasana is a prominent antagonist in the Hindu epic 'Mahabharata' and the younger brother of Duryodhana, the leader of the Kauravas. He is infamous for attempting to publicly disrobe Draupadi in the Kuru court after the Pandavas lost her in a game of dice.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Thursday, Opposition leader R. Ashoka said there was no guarantee for women’s lives under the Karnataka government.
Earlier, during the Belagavi Assembly session, a Dalit woman was stripped and assaulted in the state and recently, a minor girl was raped in Mysuru.
"Now, in Hubballi, police themselves have stripped and assaulted a woman," Ashoka claimed.
"In the Mahabharata, Dhritarashtra was blind and Gandhari had blindfolded herself. Similarly, here Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is blind and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has blindfolded himself. The police have stripped the woman like Dushasana. This incident is a mirror reflecting the collapse of law and order," Ashoka alleged.
"The Chief Minister has delivered a verdict like a judge by stating that the woman removed her own clothes. When the Ballari firing incident occurred, the CM had initially said the investigation was in progress and later claimed the bullet was fired from a Congress worker’s gun.
"In this case, before making the statement that she removed her own clothes, the investigation report should have come. If the Chief Minister delivers verdicts even before the report, the police will be forced to write reports accordingly. There is a conspiracy to cover up this case," Ashoka alleged.
"When there were 20 policemen inside the van, it is not possible for a woman to remove her own clothes. A local Congress corporator obstructed voter list revision, and the police acted at the corporator’s behest," Ashoka claimed.
"I have written letters to the Human Rights Commission and the Women’s Commission. Police have even filed a case against the woman who was subjected to assault. The Inspector and all police personnel involved in this act must be suspended by 10 am on January 9. I will go to Hubballi and lead a protest. Otherwise, we will call this a Dushasana government," he warned.
"Members of the State Women’s Commission have spoken in favour of the police by stating that they gave the woman clothes. Even before the investigation report has come, they have given a clean chit," he calimed.
"Police went to raid the house as if they were arresting terrorists. The woman has not engaged in any anti-national activity," he said.
"Acting on the instructions of a Congress corporator, the police carried out this act," Ashoka claimed.
Only the Home Minister and the Chief Minister have the authority to hold meetings with police officers. The Deputy Chief Minister has no such authority. This is unconstitutional, he said.
Ashoka has written a letter in this regard to the National Human Rights Commission and National Commission for Women.
--IANS
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