Bengaluru, May 22 (UNI) In a shocking escalation of political violence and alleged state machinery misuse, the Karnataka BJP on Thursday formally accused Minister Priyank Kharge of orchestrating a violent and premeditated attack on Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council.
The attack took place at Chittapur in Kalaburagi district on May 21, prompting the BJP to petition Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for urgent intervention and the immediate removal of Kharge from the state cabinet.
In a memorandum, the BJP charged that the assault was carried out by criminal elements allegedly linked to the Congress party and acting under the influence of Priyank Kharge, who is also the District In-Charge Minister for Kalaburagi. The party condemned the incident as an "outrageous assault" aimed at intimidating and silencing the opposition voice in the state.
The memorandum further alleged gross dereliction of duty and complicity by the local police, who, despite outnumbering the violent mob, failed to protect Narayanaswamy or take action against the assailants. Instead, the BJP claimed that police wrongfully detained BJP leaders while allowing the attackers free rein, reportedly under direct instructions from Minister Kharge himself.
Narayanaswamy was subjected to unlawful detention for over five hours at the Chittapur Inspection Bungalow, where he endured verbal abuse and physical intimidation. The attackers also vandalised his vehicle, forcing the opposition leader to cancel his Tiranga Yatra in Chittapur and Yadgir and return to Bengaluru.
Describing the incident as a "collapse of constitutional machinery' in Karnataka, the BJP accused the ruling Congress government of blatantly misusing state apparatus to crush political dissent. The party demanded swift disciplinary action against all police officers found negligent and a detailed report from the Chief Minister, Home Minister, Chief Secretary, and Director General of Police on the incident and the apparent failure of law enforcement.
The BJP's memorandum appealed to Governor Gehlot to uphold democratic values and restore faith in the rule of law by taking prompt and decisive action to curb the growing executive overreach and lawlessness in Kalaburagi.
This explosive episode has further intensified the bitter political rivalry in Karnataka, highlighting deepening governance and law enforcement crises under the current state administration.
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