Cong slams BJP as man with criminal record greets Modi

The Congress party tweeted a photo of ‘Fighter’ Ravi, a rowdy sheeter, greeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that it is shameful that BJP was allowing criminals in the party.

“It is impossible for any other party in the world to be as shameless as the BJP. Greeting Fighter Ravi with folded hands has brought disrepute to the post of Prime Minister. It is shameful that the BJP which claimed it would not accept rowdies into the party has brought a rowdy sheeter before the Prime Minister,” the Karnataka Congress said in a tweet.

On Monday, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief DK Shivakumar mocked the BJP and referred to the rowdy sheeter as the pearl of the BJP. “Let him fold his hands in front of anyone, let them induct rowdy sheeters, or let them induct rapists. I hope they take good care of their pearls,” said Shivakumar.

However, the BJP blamed the police department saying the concerned superintendent of police (SP), in this case, Mandya SP Yathish N, should have verified the background of those greeting the Prime Minister.

“The Prime Minister didn’t know who Fighter Ravi was. This came up due to the negligence of local leaders. The local SP (Superintendent of Police) should have checked the list of those who were greeting the Prime Minister. I feel there was a mistake from their (police’s) end,” said BJP MP and party’s election management committee chief Shobha Karandlaje.

She said that the Congress party shouldn’t make a big fuzz over the matter since the links between the Congress party and criminal elements “are known”.

“There is no need for the Congress party to troll us over the issue. We know how many of their leaders are in the rowdy sheet. In this case, a rowdy sheet was wishing the Prime Minister, but in the case of Congress, those who were in the rowdy sheet are running the party,” she added.

Meanwhile, Ravi said that he is no longer a rowdy sheeter. He also claimed that it was the BJP that allowed him to welcome the Prime Minister.

“It was an opportunity given by the party to receive the prime minister, and it was a proud moment of my life. People trying to taint my image, even though the cases against me have been squashed,” he told the media.

According to police, Ravi was booked on multiple cases under the Karnataka Police Act for his involvement in running cricket betting camps. He was also booked in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act case, and he is also said to be involved in settling real estate disputes for money.

Ravi, a ticket aspirant from the Nagamangala Assembly constituency, joined the BJP last year, said those familiar with the development.

In November last year, the BJP faced a similar controversy after an absconding rowdy, Sunil Kumar, alias Silent Sunil, was seen sharing a stage with senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was seen on stage with the MP during a blood donation camp. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, BJP MP PC Mohan, and BJP leader NR Ramesh were seen sharing the stage with the absconding rowdy at a blood donation event in Ramnagara. The absconding rowdy had over 15 cases against him.