The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Mahila Morcha President Lakshmi Hebbalkar has landed in another controversy. This time, for allegedly threatening a leader of the Valmiki community in Belagavi – Vijay Talawar.
Vijay Talawar of Belavadi village in Bailhongalu town, on Monday, told the media that Lakshmi Hebbalkar had threatened him after he had posted comments about her on social media.
Talawar, a leader of the Valmiki community, said that he will organise a protest with his community members and also submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Belagavi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Vijay Talawar had earlier been in Lakshmi Hebbalkar's camp, but shifted his loyalties to Satish Jarkiholi a few days ago. Lakshmi and Satish have been at loggerheads ever since he resigned from his ministerial position in 2015.
“Vijay was my supporter for a very long time. A few months ago, he eloped with a girl and contacted me for monetary help. I was in Bengaluru at the time and asked him to wait for a while, which made him angry. He then made some comments about me on social media. I called him and advised him not to indulge in passing such comments. I never threatened his life,” Hebbalkar told the media.
She said after Satish Jarkiholi made controversial comments about her regarding the distribution of saris to voters, supporters of both leaders indulged in fighting over it on social media. “At the time, Vijay Talawar had criticised me and my supporters on social media by saying there was nothing wrong in his statements. They even used filthy words,” she added.
“I called him because I got multiple calls from my supporters. I advised him and that’s all. Calling that intimidation is not right. There are some who are trying to malign my name. They will get their answers after the election,” Hebbalkar said.
In 2016, Lakshmi Hebbalkar had faced flak after allegations of her threatening Sub-Inspector Uddappa Kattikar hit the media.
Media reports, at the time, suggested that Lakshmi Hebbalkar had threatened the SI over the phone for harassing truck drivers carrying sand.
In September this year, she had landed in another controversy and had faced the heat from pro-Kannada organisations for her statements supporting Maharashtra's stand in a border dispute.
“If Belagavi becomes a part of Maharashtra, I will be the first to say Jai Maharashtra,” she had said.
Ever since Lakshmi Hebbalkar and her mentor Ramesh Jarkiholi ganged up on Satish, the leaders have been hurling wild accusations at each other.
The feud had reached a point where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, earlier this month, intervened and asked the brothers to patch up their differences.