In a shocking display of the dismal state of the law and order situation in Karnataka, a Congress leader drenched a municipal office with petrol and threatened to set it on fire as a revenue officer refused to sign a fake document as per the leader’s demand.
The Congress leader, identified as Narayanswamy, is a block president of KR Puram block in Bengaluru. Narayanswamy’s boss and Congress MLA Byrati Basavaraj is reportedly a close aide of Karnataka Chief Minister (CM) Siddaramaiah.
The local strongman was reportedly upset that the officer refused to sign a fake katha or a land document and proceeded to drench the office in petrol.
Even as CM Siddaramaiah tries to portray Karnataka as a peaceful and prosperous state, the scene from capital Bengaluru is reminiscent of the times when Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were associated were lawlessness and goondaism.
On being questioned by the local media channel TV9 Kannada, the Congress MLA Basavaraj defended his aide as a peaceful and respectable citizen. He also remarked that the anchor was asking too many questions in an appalling mockery of democratic tradition.
Karnataka has lately been in the news for the government’s inability to maintain the law and order situation in the state. Political murders regularly rock the state, even as state elections are scheduled for later this year.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on his recent visit to Karnataka had commented on the dismal state of law and order in the state.