HDK accused of ‘outraging the modesty of woman’ after he criticised a female agitator

News Network

November 20, 2018

Bengaluru, Nov 20: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has faced an unexpected charge over his statement against a female agitator after a group of farmers laid siege to Suvarna Soudha and damaged public property in Belagavi.

Quoting Sections 509 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a Bengaluru-based organisation, Karnataka Karmika Kalyana Prathishtana, has lodged a complaint with DG & IGP Neelamani N Raju, accusing Kumaraswamy of "gesturing or acting intending to outrage the modesty of a woman and intentionally insulting with an intent to provoke breach of the peace (sic)."

However, there is no official confirmation by the DG & IGP's office about accepting the complaint.

According to the complaint, a copy of which is available with coastaldigest.com, the association, based on the television footage and newspaper reports and on behalf of the farmer woman, lodged a complaint through an e-mail directly to the DG & IGP.

The organisation has sought suitable action against the chief minister under the above sections.

Hours after a meeting with sugarcane farmers in Belagavi was cancelled, farmers laid siege to Suvarna Soudha on Sunday.

Among the protesters was local activist Jayashree Gurannavar against whom the chief minister said: "A woman (Jayashree) has criticised me stating that I am not fit to govern the state. How can I be held responsible for some company not paying proper prices for sugarcane four years ago? What is the connection between me and this issue? Where were you sleeping four years ago?"

The statement came in for widespread criticism and may cause trouble in the Monday's Cabinet meeting with Congress ministers expected to raise the issue.

Jayashree had said that police personnel who tried to close the gate, wrapped a chain around her neck. "I am a farmer woman. I am prepared to spill my blood for the cause. The chief minister has gone back on his word," she had remarked.

"I own land at both my parent's and my in-laws' houses. I work in these fields. He (CM) has insulted me for raising my voice for the cause of aggrieved sugarcane farmers," she added.

Farmers organisations and the Opposition BJP have sought an apology from Kumaraswamy.

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BJP fields Kishore Kumar Puttur from DK-Udupi Local Authorities’ Constituency

News Network

October 1,2024

The BJP has selected Kishore Kumar Puttur as its candidate for the bypoll to Karnataka Legislative Council from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Local Authorities’ Constituency. The by-election will be held on October 21.

Kishore Kumar is presently serving as the General Secretary of Dakshina Kannada BJP unit. He had served as vice president of State BJP Yuva Morcha from 2014 to 2016.

The by-election will be held to the seat vacated by Kota Srinivas Poojary of the BJP who has been elected as the Lok Sabha member from Udupi-Chikmagaluru Lok Sabha constituency. The vacancy was created on June 15, 2024 following Poojary’s resignation to the Council. His term in the council was till January, 2028.

In the last Council election held for the dual member constituency in December 2021, Poojary had secured 3,672 votes while the Congress candidate Manjunath Bhandary had secured 2079 votes. Poojary and Bhandary had secured required votes from the first preferential votes and had won the election.

There were several aspirants for the BJP ticket including former MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, DK BJP president Satish Kumpala, Mangaluru divisional in-charge Uday Kumar Shetty, former minister Pramod Madhwaraj and former Udupi district BJP president Kuilady Suresh Nayak.

The Congress is yet to announce its candidate for the election. KPCC working president Manjunath Bhandary in a recent press meet in Mangaluru had said that an opportunity will be given to congress leaders from Udupi district to contest by-election.

The Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Local Authorities’ Constituency has 6037 voters including 3551 from Dakshina Kannada comprising eight MLAs, one MP. The last date for filing nomination is October 3 and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is October 7. The counting will be held on October 24.

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