Bangalore police directed to provide security to nurse Jayalakshmi

The National Commission for Women and Karnataka State Women’s Commission has directed the Bangalore City police to provide security to nurse Jayalakshmi, who kicked up a political furore in Karnataka by releasing photographs of BJP MLA Renukacharya kissing her.

The National Commission for Women has written a letter to Bangalore City Police Commissioner N Achuta Rao to provide security to Jayalakshmi, 36, who has complained that she has been receiving threatening calls ever since she accused the married BJP MLA of sexually harassing her.

The National Commission for Women Chairperson Girija Vyas has also urged Karnataka Assembly Speaker Krishna to conduct an inquiry into the allegations made by Jayalakshmi against the BJP MLA.

Citing lack of confidence in the State Women’s Commission headed by BJP leader Pramila Nesargi, the nurse had approached the National Women’s Commission. She claimed that she received a threatening call on her mobile even while she was in the office of National Women’s Commission in New Delhi and she made Girija Vyas and Commission member Nirmala Venkatesh listen to the threats.

Meanwhile, Pramila Nesargi has also dispatched a letter to Bangalore City Police Commissioner to provide protection to Jayalakshmi with immediate effect. In the letter, Nesargi said it was the responsibility of the police commissioner to provide her security. “I have also written that if there is any untoward incident involving Jayalakshmi, the City Police will be held responsible”, Nesargi said.

The Jayalakshmi-Renukacharya sexual harassment episode has come as a major embarrassment to the BJP ahead of the crucial by-polls to Ullal Assembly constituency in Dakshina Kannada district, where its candidate Chandrashekar Uchil is facing a stiff electoral battle against Congress candidate U T Khader, who is the son of late MLA U T Farid.