BJP to Congress: Can't have Petrol Narayanas'

Bengaluru: Coming under fire from the BJP in the Legislative Council on Wednesday for its failure to rein in "high-handed" Congress leaders, the government assured the House it would take action against  KR Puram Congress leader, Narayanaswamy for threatening to set a sub-registrar's office on fire and agreed to withdraw the suspension of the Assistant Sub-registrar, who had refused to issue a  khata to him.

Raising the issue, opposition leader, JagadishShettar said Congress workers were creating a fear psychosis among people. Since the arrest of  MLA Haris' son,  Mohammed Nalapad, many other  cases had come to light of the police refusing to receive complaints, he noted. 

Responding, Home Minister, Ramalinga Reddy said if police inspectors refused to receive complaints, people could go to their seniors and other forums to register them. "Those claiming to be victims are choosing to come out in public after Nalapad's arrest instead of using these forums," he regretted. Mr Suresh Kumar of the BJP, however, hit back advising the Minister  not to trivialise the issue and send a strong message  from the House that such offenders would not go scot free.

When Hebbal MLA, Narayanaswamy wanted to know why the government had transferred the ARO for refusing to issue a  khata based on fake documents,  Mr Reddy said  the incident had taken place on February 16, and the officer concerned was guilty of dereliction of duty by not registering a complaint.

Rubbishing this,  Mr Suresh Kumar said  the ARO had brought the incident to the notice of his seniors but  they had failed to register a case. "So action should be initiated against the entire revenue section," he insisted. Mr Narayanaswamy said  government officials had lost the courage to complain against the system.