Karnataka Congress on Sunday, 18 February, expelled a Youth Congress leader from the party over an alleged brutal beating of a man in Bengaluru.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara said that Mohammed Haris Nalapad, General Secretary Youth Congress wing of Bengaluru and son of MLA NA Haris, has been expelled for a period of six years.
Nalapad is accused of beating a man, identified as Vidyut, at a restaurant in the Karnataka capital. Reports say that Vidyut had sat with his leg stretched due to an injury to which Nalapad objected. The man’s refusal enraged the Congress leader. Vidyut was so brutally beaten that dried blood was all over his shirt when he was admitted to the hospital for treatment.
According to reports, Nalapad even threatened the victim at the hospital. The brother of the victim alleged that around 15-20 henchmen of the son of the MLA, too, were involved in the attack.
An FIR has been filed against Nalapad and 10 others for the violence at Cubbon Park area of Bengaluru. But reports say that the whereabouts of the accused Nalapad remains unknown.
NA Haris is an MLA from Shanti Nagar and a prominent Congress leader of the state.
Opposition parties, including AAP, protested against the attack calling Nalapad a “goonda”. The BJP has already found in the incident a subject to target the ruling government at a time when the state is heading for polls.
As the matter become a political headache for Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the ruling Congress government, various Congress leaders openly condemned the attack.
Dinesh Gundu Rao, working president KPCC, wrote on Twitter: “Ghastly incident..nobody is above law..police have to take strict action and arrest all concerned, who so ever they may be.”
Ghastly incident..nobody is above law..police have to take strict action and arrest all concerned, who so ever they may be. Also Mohammed Haris Nalapad will be expelled from the Congress party for his involvement in this terrible act.
Condemn in the strongest words. https://t.co/nu3sqaUyvq— Dinesh Gundu Rao (@dineshgrao) February 18, 2018
Announcing the expulsion, G Parameshwara wrote: “Atrocities in any form is not tolerated in @INCKarnataka. Legal actions have been taken against those responsible. The victim will be served justice.”
Mohammed Haris Nalapad, Gen Sec of B’luru city Youth Congress, has been expelled from Congress party for 6 years. Atrocities in any form is not tolerated in @INCKarnataka. Legal actions have been taken against those responsible. The victim will be served justice. https://t.co/9drlRnXfWR
— Dr. G Parameshwara (@DrParameshwara) February 18, 2018
Siddaramaiah, too, condemned the attack.
Offenders should be punished to the full extent of law regardless of who they are. No less, no more.@CPBlr will take action as per law and bring the guilty to book. https://t.co/H0Km8zauVz
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 18, 2018
The police have launched an investigation into the attack. According to NDTV after NA Haris met the victim at the hospital, Opposition parties claimed that the MLA was trying to influence Vidyut.