Never indulged in making personal attacks, says BJP MLC Ravi after HC orders his immediate release

Haveri (Karnataka), Dec 20 BJP MLC C.T. Ravi said on Friday that he has never indulged in making personal attacks against opponents, underlining his criticisms were “ideological and political”.

Speaking to the media in the Haveri district after the High Court ordered his immediate release, Ravi challenged that people can get to know about him once they speak to people in his native Chikkamagaluru. “Let people inquire about Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar in Ramanagar,” he maintained.

Ravi further stated the Chairman of the Legislative Council has stated that there is no audio or video record about the use of the derogatory word in the council. The issue will be taken care of by the Chairman. The government has lodged a false case and treated him like a terrorist.

“Once I get the court document, I will talk about the matter in detail. I have not slept since Thursday and I have a headache now. Even though I gave a complaint with evidence, the police did not file an FIR over attacks on me,” he maintained.

Ravi is presently in the Ranebennur town of Haveri district. The police are awaiting the court orders to release C.T. Ravi. Sources stated that he would be released once they receive orders from senior officers.

Meanwhile, the celebrations started near the BJP headquarters in Bengaluru. The party workers including women started dancing and bursting crackers.

However, the Congress has called for a protest on Saturday opposing the release of C.T. Ravi in Belagavi. The supporters of Laxmi Hebbalkar have demanded the sacking of Ravi from the MLC post.

Earlier, in a major setback to the Congress government in Karnataka, the High Court on Friday ordered the police department to immediately release BJP MLC C.T. Ravi arrested on charges of allegedly making a ‘derogatory remark’ against Minister for Women and Child Welfare Laxmi Hebbalkar.

The bench headed by Justice M.G. Uma delivered the interim order asking the police to release C.T. Ravi immediately from wherever he is. The court has also asked C.T. Ravi to cooperate with the investigation.

The bench has expressed displeasure over the moves of C.T. Ravi and Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar.

The counsel for C.T. Ravi, Sandeep Chowta submitted that the accused and the complainant are both legislators. The allegations in the case attract less than seven years of imprisonment. The police department should have given notice and explained the reasons for the arrest.

The counsel further claimed that C.T. Ravi stated that the police assaulted him. The doctor has not mentioned the details of the treatment appropriately. The report says that the scanning was done. The Chairperson of the Legislative Council had stated that there is no record of the derogatory word. There was no necessity of C.T. Ravi’s arrest. Ravi is the leader in the Legislative Council and he would not have escaped.

The chaos and drama unfolded on Thursday as, during a heated debate session in the Legislative Council, C.T. Ravi allegedly referred to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, as a "drug addict".

Taking objection to the remarks, Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar slammed Ravi, and called him a "murderer". Responding back, the BJP leader allegedly used an obscene term against the woman Minister.

C.T. Ravi was arrested on charges of allegedly using derogatory words against Minister for Women and Child Welfare, Laxmi Hebbalkar, in the Legislative Council on Thursday.