New Delhi/Bengaluru:
Facing criticism after his daughter slapped a policewoman at a temple in Karnataka, BJP MLA B Suresh Gowda has dubbed the episode a “mistake” by both the women.
Gowda had apologised earlier for his daughter Aishwarya’s actions and did so again during an interview with NDTV. However, he claimed that Aishwarya had hit the officer after she abused her and her husband in front of their children.
Aishwarya was seen slapping police sub-inspector Savitha Patil at the Aarti Ukkada temple in Srirangapatna on the occasion of Bhima Amavasya on August 12. She now faces a police case for assault, the use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging duty, voluntarily causing hurt, and criminal intimidation.
Read: Karnataka BJP MLA’s Daughter Slaps Woman Police Officer, Case Filed
She, however, has not been detained.
Gowda, who represents Tumakuru Rural, minced no words to assert that her daughter’s actions were “wrong” but suggested that the policewoman was also at fault.
“What my daughter has done is a mistake. Nobody cannot take the law into their hands…(but) without the mistake of the police sub-inspector, my daughter would have not taken the call,” he went on to claim during the interview.
The MLA said his daughter had gone to the temple with two of her children, aged 2 and 3, on that day.
“The children had chicken pox 10 days earlier, and she wanted to get the priest’s blessings. She requested to be allowed inside but was denied. After a minute, another person was allowed inside. So, my daughter questioned the sub-inspector. She told me that the SI abused her, my son-in-law and the children, and that she could not tolerate it any further,” the MLA narrated.
Read: CCTV Footage Surfaces Of MLA’s Daughter Slapping Cop At Karnataka Temple
He also sought to brush aside public anger over the incident, claiming that the people always hold grudges against politicians. Nevertheless, he apologised to the public for her daughter.
“The people always have anger at politicians and businessmen. But we should be responsible when we are in public life. We should have a lot of patience. We should not do that,” he added.
Gowda further asserted that he holds no vengeance against the sub-inspector and that he would ensure his daughter does not repeat the same “mistake” in the future.
