Cong Dalit Worker Accuses Minister of Assault

Nandini Nagaraj, a Congress Dalit female worker, who has lodged a police complaint against HM Revanna, a close associate of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, alleging assault and threat to her life on Tuesday, questioned the Congress government on the safety of women in the state.

“If a woman is not safe at the Kumara Krupa Guest House, which is located next to the chief minister’s residence, then there is no protection for her even in Vidhana Soudha. How will you ensure the safety of women?” Nandini asked.

Revanna is the President of the Karnataka State Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee. The complaint has been lodged with the High Grounds police station in Bengaluru.

The complaint was filed on Tuesday at the High Grounds police station in Bengaluru by Nandini Nagaraj, who also submitted video evidence to the police. In the footage, Revanna is seen pushing her away.

Nandini stated, “HM Revanna is the Chairman of the State Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee. The Congress party claims that the guarantee schemes are meant for women, yet the person leading such a committee assaults and abuses women.”

“You can follow up with him. He is arrogant and behaves inappropriately with women. He is unfit to be a politician. Revanna is disrespectful towards women. As a Dalit woman, I have suffered an assault by him,” she alleged.

“I am the state finance head in the AICC. If I can be assaulted in this manner, what about the plight of ordinary women?” Nandini said.

“He assaulted me when I questioned him about the derogatory term he had used against me earlier. It is natural to question such matters. I asked him how he could use such a word against me. I have a phone recording of it. The incident took place last November. Community leaders spoke to me, and I chose to remain silent since Revanna belonged to the same Congress party. But when I met him at the Kumara Krupa Guest House, Revanna assaulted me and verbally abused me, referring to my caste. He even tried to grab my neck and pull me,” Nandini alleged.

“Senior Congress leader VS Ugrappa was present at that time. Ugrappa delivers big speeches on women’s issues, but he did not come forward to help me. None of the senior leaders who were present there came forward to assist me. I was the only woman there,” she stated.

“Somehow, I managed to get out, went to the hospital, and then lodged a police complaint. The police made me sit for hours before registering my complaint, holding meeting after meeting. Instead of filing an FIR, they only registered a Non-Cognizable Report (NCR). My finger is fractured, and I won’t be able to ride. I have been advised six weeks of orthopaedic treatment,” Nandini said.

In the video footage, Nandini is heard telling Revanna that she will report the matter to Rahul Gandhi and send the video to him. Revanna is seen asking her to leave the premises.

The incident is likely to spark controversy in the ongoing Assembly session as it involves Revanna, a close associate of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Responding to the allegations, former Minister Revanna claimed that Nandini Nagaraj frequently invokes Rahul Gandhi’s name and creates a nuisance. He alleged that she had threatened an officer known to him and even taken one lakh rupees from him via PhonePe. “I had asked her to stop engaging in such activities,” he stated.

“She is unable to accept this and is now falsely alleging that I misbehaved with a woman worker and used inappropriate language. She is even claiming that she fears for her life because of me. What would I gain by harming her? In my 40-year political career, I have never engaged in such acts,” Revanna asserted.

He admitted that he did push her while she was recording the video. “If I have done anything wrong, let the party take action against me. She is misusing Rahul Gandhi’s name and has been involved in financial dealings related to transfers. I will be filing a complaint with the AICC regarding this. I am deeply pained by this development,” he said.

The police have taken up the matter for investigation.

—IANS