After BJP protests, Karnataka Congress chief regrets making 'disgrace to Indian politics' remark on Yogi Adityanath

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BENGALURU: Shortly after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in poll-bound Karnataka's Bengaluru staged protests over the statement of Congress state unit working president targeting Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the former expressed his regret over his comment.

Congress state unit working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "Father of Unnao victim has died, the girl is threatening to immolate herself. What kind of governance is this? I, however, regret the kind of words I used for him (Yogi Adityanath). This is an emotional and sensitive issue for me."

Earlier on Sunday, the BJP had called for the protest in the Karnataka capital against Rao's alleged "inciting remarks" on the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. Rao had called Adityanath a "disgrace to Indian politics".

The BJP Karnataka general secretary N Ravikumar had also moved the Election Commission and filed a complaint against the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president.

The protests had come following Rao's comment, in reference to the outrage over Unnao rape and custodial death cases. He had reportedly said, "Mr Adityanath is a disgrace to Indian politics. He is unfit to be the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. If he had any decency he would have resigned by now."

In Unnao, an 18-year-old woman has alleged that BJP MP Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his associates raped her in June 2017 and that authorities had refused to register her complaint. The teen survivor also claimed that the BJP lawmaker is behind the alleged custodial death of her father. Her father, aged around 50, was rushed to a hospital from the district jail on Monday night and died during treatment. He had been arrested on April 5 under the Arms Act.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), who is currently probing the case, has arrested two people till now in the Unnao rape case. The agency has also taken into custody Shashi Singh, the woman who allegedly took the 17-year-old victim girl to the prime accused, BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, officials told PTI.