Oppn leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy seeks security, writes to council chairman
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, has written to Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, urging him to direct the state government to restore security at his residence, which was allegedly withdrawn without prior notice.
In separate letters addressed on Friday to the Chairman, Chief Minister, Home Minister, Chief Secretary, and the Director General of Police, Narayanaswamy stated, “As the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, I have been facing incidents driven by political vendetta for the past few months, causing serious concern for my safety and that of my family.”
Citing an incident on May 21 at the Chittapur government guesthouse, he said, “I was placed under house arrest and not allowed to leave the premises. Though I brought this to the attention of concerned authorities, no complaint was registered, nor was any action taken against those responsible.”
He further alleged that in recent days, he has been receiving death threat calls from unidentified persons, and defamatory as well as threatening posts have been circulating on social media. “Amid such a situation, the security personnel deployed at my residence have been withdrawn abruptly and without reason. This appears to be a politically motivated move, reflecting the politics of hatred,” he stated.
Narayanaswamy also mentioned a social media post made by one Shivaraj Muttannavar, who allegedly wrote on Facebook: “If Chalavadi Narayanaswamy opposes ST reservation for Kurubas, I will burn him alive.” He described this as a direct threat to his life and demanded legal action against the individual.
“The sudden withdrawal of security provided to my residence is unreasonable and unjustified. Such actions strengthen my suspicion that a conspiracy and hate politics are being carried out against me,” he wrote.
“As the Leader of the Opposition, ensuring my safety is the moral and legal responsibility of the government,” he asserted.
Narayanaswamy requested that security at his residence be reinstated immediately, legal proceedings be initiated against Shivaraj Muttannavar for issuing life threats, and necessary instructions be given to ensure the safety of himself and his family in the coming days.
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Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa laid to rest with full state honours
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa was laid to rest with full state honours on Monday.
The 94-year-old former minister, who passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Sunday, was cremated at the Kalleshwara Mill premises, following Veerashaiva-Lingayat traditions.
Earlier in the day, Shivashankarappa's mortal remains were brought to his native Davanagere, where they were kept at the high school grounds for the public, his followers, and well-wishers to pay their last respects.
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Expressing deep sorrow over his demise, the Karnataka government ordered that his last rites be performed with full state honours.
Both the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council also mourned his passing, adjourning their sessions for the day after paying tributes.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, several ministers, opposition leaders, legislators, and political figures paid their respects.
A number of seers from the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community also attended the last rites.
Shivashankarappa represented the Davanagere South Assembly constituency. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for some time before succumbing to age-related ailments.
The senior-most legislator in Karnataka, Shivashankarappa, was also one of the longest-serving lawmakers in the country, sources said.
He is survived by three sons, including S S Mallikarjun, the Karnataka Minister for Mines, Geology, and Horticulture, and four daughters. His daughter-in-law, Prabha Mallikarjun, is the Member of Parliament from Davanagere.
A six-time MLA, Shivashankarappa also served as a minister and an MP.
He was a prominent educationist, establishing several educational institutions, and was an industrialist.
Additionally, he served as the treasurer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for decades and was the president of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of the influential Veerashaiva-Lingayat community.
