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A political storm has erupted in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district following a controversial remark made by BJP MLC and Chief Whip of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, N Ravikumar, against District Collector Fauzia Tarannum, amid ongoing tensions related to the recent Chittapur incident.
Addressing a protest rally organised under the BJP's 'Kalaburagi Chalo' campaign on May 24, Ravikumar alleged that the district administration was functioning under the influence of the ruling Congress government. In a statement that has since sparked widespread condemnation, he questioned the independence of the District Collector and made a derogatory reference suggesting she might have "come from Pakistan." "The Kalaburagi DC office has also lost its independence. The DC madam is also listening to what they (Congress) say. I don't know whether the DC has come from Pakistan or is an IAS officer here," Ravikumar said, triggering backlash from progressive groups and civil society organisations, who have demanded action against him for the "insulting and communal" remarks. Fauzia Tarannum currently serves as the District Collector of Kalaburagi under the Congress-led state government. Though not directly involved in the political developments, her role as the administrative head of the district has come under the political spotlight amid heightened tensions. The protest led by the BJP was held to demand the removal of Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge from the state Cabinet. The demand stems from a May 21 incident in Chittapur- Priyank Kharge's assembly constituency- where Congress workers allegedly laid siege to a guest house where Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanswamy, was staying. In response to the protest and Ravikumar's remarks, Congress leader and state minister Sharan Prakash Patil on Sunday accused BJP leaders of unnecessarily provoking tensions and attempting to politicise the administration. "This is a deliberate attempt to provoke and communalise the atmosphere. Such statements against an officer performing her duties are unacceptable," Patil said. The incident has further deepened political fault lines in Kalaburagi, with both administrative officials and political leaders now drawn into a broader battle between the BJP and the ruling Congress over governance, accountability, and decorum in public discourse. (ANI)
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