Anant Kumar Hegde sends reply to BJP leadership, denies charges against him
Bengaluru, Feb 4: BJP MP Anant Kumar Hegde has written to the party leadership that he made no mention of Mahatma Gandhi in his speech, which has faced flak for its swipe at the Father of the Nation, and controversial remarks attributed to him are "incorrect".
BJP sources said Hegde sent a detailed reply to party president J P Nadda, and the party's disciplinary committee, which issued him a show-cause notice to him on Monday, is studying its content before deciding its next course of action.
Hegde has claimed he did not name Mahatma Gandhi nor did he insult him in his speech and news reports about his speech are "incorrect". He added he also did not use words like "nautanki" or "drama" to describe the freedom struggle led by Gandhi.
There is a view in the party that what the former Union minister said might be in bad taste but its content was distorted in some media reports, a senior BJP leader said.
Speaking in Kannada at an event in Bengaluru on Saturday to commemorate Veer Savarkar, an iconic Hindutva figure, Hegde said freedom fighters who did not sacrifice anything made the country believe that it attained independence through 'Upavasa Satyagraha', Gandhi's preferred mode of agitation by undertaking fast.
"Such people became 'Mahapurush (great person)," said Hegde, who is no stranger to controversies.
The Gandhi-led freedom struggle was an "adjustment" with the British, he said, suggesting that contribution of revolutionaries and other freedom fighters who were not associated with the Congress were undermined.
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Three private doctors arrested in illegal scanning case involving 31 minor pregnant girls in KR Pet
Mandya: Police on Tuesday arrested three private doctors in connection with a case involving alleged illegal scanning of 31 minor pregnant girls at a private diagnostic centre in KR Pet. The accused were later remanded to judicial custody.
The arrested doctors have been identified as Dr. Divyachetan of Chetana Maternity Centre, Dr. Harshit of Navi Diagnostic Centre, and Dr. Harish of Kushal Diagnostic Centre.
Police said Priyanka, a gynaecologist attached to a government hospital, is absconding and efforts are under way to trace her.
The case came to light after Karnataka Lokayukta Police recently conducted raids, during which illegal sex determination tests on minor pregnant girls were allegedly detected at two diagnostic centres in KR Pet town.
Following the raids, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr. Mohan, Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development Department P.S. Asha, and District Child Protection Officer Rashmi inspected several diagnostic centres and filed cases at KR Pet Town and Rural police stations.
According to the allegations, Navi Diagnostic Centre conducted scans on 24 minor pregnant girls, including 19 cases in 2024 and five in 2025. Kushal Diagnostic Centre is accused of conducting scans on seven minor pregnant girls.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Kumar has directed taluk vigilance committees to inspect all 63 ultrasound scanning centres in the district and submit reports within 10 days.
Officials said the Tahsildar of each taluk has been appointed chairperson of the respective committee.
