Bengaluru, Nov 7 Karnataka BJP leaders on Saturday lodged a complaint with the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, alleging that NSUI workers had attempted to send knives, daggers and other lethal objects to the residence of Legislative Council Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy through a quick-commerce platform.
A delegation comprising state BJP president B Y Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, Narayanaswamy and a few party legislators met Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh and submitted the complaint.
The complaint alleged that around 8-10 workers of the Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) arrived near Narayanaswamy’s residence after ordering knives, daggers and other potentially lethal objects using multiple mobile phone numbers. They allegedly surrounded the gate of the house, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, it said.
Describing the alleged act as “goonda culture”, the BJP leaders accused senior Congress leaders—state party president B K Hariprasad, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Home Minister Priyank Kharge—of encouraging such conduct.
The complaint named Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Secretary Manohar and his associates, alleging that they had repeatedly staged protests outside Narayanaswamy’s residence.
“Who is encouraging such activities? Several ministers and even High Court judges reside in the vicinity of Chalavadi Narayanaswamy’s house,” the delegation said in its complaint.
Questioning the role of the quick-commerce platform, the BJP leaders alleged that it failed to carry out adequate checks before facilitating the delivery of potentially dangerous items.
“Before delivering any parcel, an online commerce platform is expected to verify the items being ordered. Without such checks, the delivery of lethal objects raises serious questions about the functioning of the company,” the complaint said.
The delegation urged the police to investigate the mobile numbers allegedly used to place the orders, a list of which was attached to the complaint, and to take action against those involved. It sought cancellation of the platform’s licence for alleged negligence.
The leaders urged the police to identify and book those allegedly creating an atmosphere of fear through repeated protests and intimidation. They sought stringent action, including legal proceedings under the Goonda Act and externment provisions against those found involved.
According to party sources, the alleged NSUI action appeared to be a reaction to Narayanaswamy’s recent warning that BJP workers would “tear them to pieces and throw them into the Arabian Sea” if the Congress created unrest in the country. Following protests by Congress workers, he subsequently clarified that his remarks were directed at the party and not at any individual.
Speaking to reporters, Narayanaswamy accused the Congress of “goonda culture”.
“Someone is calling an online commerce platform, ordering knives and blades, and getting them delivered to my house. The entire country knows whose culture is associated with knives and daggers. This incident has once again proved it. The Congress party is known for its knife-and-dagger culture. This shows that Kotwal culture is still alive within the Congress,” he said, in an apparent reference to late gangster Kotwal Ramachandra.
Alleging that the NSUI workers had not even paid for the orders, he said two of them were standing there and telling the delivery person to “go inside and deliver it”.
“What does this mean? What are you trying to achieve? Has the Congress still not abandoned its goonda and murderous culture?” he asked.
Noting that his house was in a high-security area where three judges and a minister also lived, Narayanaswamy questioned how Congress workers could stage a protest outside his residence in such a locality.
“If Congress workers come to my house and stage protests, it means the government itself is sending them there. The CM must take responsibility for this. Is the Home minister sending his party workers to my residence in this manner? The CM, Home minister and KPCC President are responsible for the incident,” he alleged.
Alleging that attempts were being made to intimidate and insult opposition leaders who question the government’s administrative failures, corruption and deteriorating financial condition, Vijayendra said the incident had once again exposed the political culture of Congress workers.
Ashoka demanded that an attempt-to-murder case be registered against those who sent weapons to Narayanaswamy’s house.
“In the last three-and-a-half years of Congress rule, there is no one to ask about law and order. Rowdies carry machetes and long guns. But here, Congress party members themselves have sent weapons to the house of opposition leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy. The Police Commissioner’s office is near his house. There is also a judge’s house. Even then, if Congress people send knives, daggers and machetes, it is a failure of the police,” he told reporters.
(PTI News)
