Chikkamagaluru: Legislative Council member C.T. Ravi on Friday called for an impartial and fair investigation into the banner-related clash and firing incident that occurred in Ballari.
Speaking to reporters in Chikkamagaluru, Ravi said the incident must be investigated thoroughly without prejudice or hatred influencing the probe. He said it was important to clearly establish who opened fire and who was responsible for the killing.
Referring to Valmiki Jayanti celebrations, Ravi said it was the BJP government that began officially observing the occasion, while the Congress, he alleged, had earlier denied the existence of Lord Ram and indirectly questioned the legacy of Valmiki. He recalled that during the Ram Setu case, the Congress had told the Supreme Court that Ram was a fictional character and not a historical figure.
On the Ballari incident, Ravi said registering cases or taking action with malicious intent was not appropriate. He added that whether banners were put up with permission or without it, forcibly removing them was wrong. If banners had been erected without permission, a complaint could have been filed instead.
Ravi also questioned how the government could justify people going near the residence of G. Janardhan Reddy to display strength. He said these circumstances suggested that the banner issue may only have been a pretext and that there could be other factors behind the violence.
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Indore: Madhya Pradesh Minister and senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya has come under criticism after videos surfaced showing him riding a scooter without a helmet and allegedly without a registration number during his visit to Bhagirathpura, which is hit by a severe contaminated water crisis.
The incident has triggered widespread online backlash and contributed to the growing criticism of the state government's handling of the crisis.
This comes a day after Vijayvargiya was caught on camera using objectionable language while responding to questions from a TV Journalist.
Vijayvargiya had arrived at Bhagirathpura riding a scooter to interact with residents and distribute cheques of ₹2 lakh each to the families of seven deceased persons.
However, the visit saw strong resistance from locals, particularly women, who expressed anger in front of the minister.
Videos of the confrontation were posted on social media by Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari.
In one of the clips, a woman is heard saying that dirty water has been supplied for the last two years and that repeated complaints to the BJP councillor had not resolved the issue.
Patwari, in a post on X, wrote that the entire locality was suffering while the minister “did not even listen to the sister’s words.”
गंदे पानी से 13 मौतों के बाद जब कैबिनेट मंत्री कैलाश विजयवर्गीय अपनी विधानसभा के लोगों से मिलने पहुंचे, तब एक बहन ने उनकी पोल खोल दी।
— Jitendra (Jitu) Patwari (@jitupatwari) January 1, 2026
महिला ने बताया कि पिछले दो वर्षों से गंदा पानी आ रहा है। इस बारे में भाजपा पार्षद को बार बार बताया गया, लेकिन आज तक समस्या का समाधान नहीं हुआ।… pic.twitter.com/4iUsd8omux
Social media users troll Vijayvargiya
“Dear @MPPoliceDeptt, He is Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya. He wasn’t wearing a helmet, and the scooter he was using had no number plate,” wrote @NalinisKitchen.
“Kailash Vijayvargiya is in PR Damage control mode. He got so excited that he went on a scooty without helmet & ended up exposing the pathetic pothole and dirt filled road of Indore, city in a state that BJP is in power for almost 20 years now. Self Goal,” wrote @RoshanKrRaii.
“PR damage control turned into a reality check. One scooty ride by Kailash Vijayvargiya exposed Indore’s broken roads, potholes, and dirt—after 2 decades of BJP rule. When optics fail, truth shows up. Self-goal,” wrote another user.
“Look at the filthy streets under the jurisdiction of this incompetent MLA @KailashOnline. On top of that, he roams around the dirty streets in unregistered vehicles without helmets like a goon,” said another post.
10 deaths reported, over 1,400 affected in Bhagirathpura
Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said on Friday that he had received information about 10 deaths caused by a diarrhoea outbreak linked to contaminated drinking water in Bhagirathpura.
However, local residents have claimed that at least 14 people, including a six-month-old infant, have died due to the health crisis. The health department has not officially confirmed these claims.
According to reports, a leak was found in the main drinking water supply pipeline near a police outpost in Bhagirathpura, at a spot where a toilet has been constructed. The leakage led to contamination of the water supply.
Over the past nine days, more than 1,400 people have been affected by vomiting and diarrhea in the area.
A health department official, citing the situation till Thursday night, said that 272 patients were admitted to hospitals, of whom 71 have been discharged. At present, 201 patients are hospitalised, and 32 of them are undergoing treatment in intensive care units.
