After Violent Ballari Clashes, BJP MLA Janardhana Reddy Demands Z Security
Bengaluru: BJP MLA G Janardhan Reddy has written separate letters to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding immediate Z-category security for him, alleging that there was a “pre-planned assassination attempt” on him in Ballari.
He was referring to January 1 clashes that erupted over installation of a banner for unveiling of Valmiki statue and claimed that there was “complete breakdown of law and order”. Janardhan Reddy, among others, was also given a yellow card in connection with the clashes.
In his letter to the Prime Minister on Saturday, Reddy claimed that the attack on his house in Ballari on New Year’s Day was “not an ordinary political clash but a pre-planned and systematic assassination attempt allegedly carried out by Ballari Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy and his associates”.
The former minister directly accused the local police of inaction and negligence and said the threat to his life had reached the “highest possible level”.
Elaborating on the sequence of events, Reddy said that around 2 pm, supporters of Bharath Reddy tried to erect illegal banners in the fence area of his house and were removed after police intervention.
Around 5.30 pm, “Bharath Reddy’s close aide Sathish Reddy, along with 40-50 armed men, trespassed into his property armed with bottles, stones, sticks and deadly weapons, sat inside the compound and openly issued threats, while the police remained silent spectators,” he said.
According to Reddy, the violence escalated around 7 pm when he returned from Gangavathi.
He alleged that on the instructions of MLA Nara Bharat Reddy, Satish Reddy and his men launched a direct attack, during which private gunmen fired about eight shots targeting him and his house.
“Thanks to God’s grace and luck, I narrowly escaped death,” he said, adding that the police were unable to control the situation.
He also claimed that around 9 pm, Bharat Reddy came near SP Circle along with hundreds of supporters armed with sticks, stones and tear gas canisters, triggering what he called a ‘terrorist-style attack’.
During the incident, indiscriminate firing by the gunman allegedly claimed the life of Raja Shekhar, after which the police resorted to tear gas, aerial firing and lathi charge to maintain order.
In his letter, Reddy requested high-level police security of ‘Z’ category or equivalent for himself and his family with immediate effect.
He also demanded that murder cases be registered against Bharath Reddy, Sathish Reddy and their associates and strict action be taken against police officers for dereliction of duty.
Terming the incident as evidence of “Jungle Raj” in Karnataka, Reddy warned that the state government would be “directly responsible” if any further harm occurred to him or his family due to lack of security.
In a separate presentation to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Reddy demanded security through central forces, alleging that the Congress-led State government had failed to ensure security. He claimed that the attack was politically motivated and suggested that the renewed campaign for the BJP across the state had irritated the Congress leadership.
Following the violent clashes on January 1, a team of BJP leaders, including Union Minister V Somanna, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly and Council R Ashoka and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, are planning to meet Janardhana Reddy at his residence in Ballari.
