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MANDYA: Campaigning for the Mandya Lok Sabha byelection hit a new low on Friday when a JD(S) leader questioned the parentage of Congress candidate and Sandalwood actress Ramya. The personal attack by M Srinivas, a two-time MLA from Mandya, comes when Ramya is mourning her foster father, R T Narayan.

 Addressing an election rally in Mandya, Srinivas said the actress was "not born naturally".

 "The Congress has fielded a candidate who does not know her father, who does not know her caste, and who does not know her native place. She is a test-tube baby and a baby of the Congress party," the former MLA said.

 To make matters worse, senior JD(S) leader and former minister H D Revanna defended Srinivas’ remarks. "If Ramya had mentioned her personal details in the nomination papers, he would have not exhibited his eagerness to know them. Srinivas spoke after seeing the nomination. It’s no big deal," Revanna said.

 Realizing that Srinivas’ remarks have the potential of damaging the party’s prospects, the JD(S) top brass went into damage-control mode.

 Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said: "I express my regrets for the remarks by our partyman. Discussion of personal issues is absolutely unnecessary. Nobody should indulge in personal attacks. We should strive to garner the people’s confidence during elections."

 JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda weighed in to say he disapproves of such remarks, and one should avoid raking up personal issues.

 Livid over the remarks, the Congress said the voters of Mandya will give the JD(S) a fitting reply. It called Srinivas’ remarks "inferior and inhuman".

 The housing minister M H Ambareesh said: "This will not bring a good name to party he represents."

 KJP leader Shobha Karandlaje criticized Srinivas saying: "Why should personal things be brought into politics? When people saw her movies, nobody was eager to know her lineage. Now, because she has jumped into the fray, she is being criticized. This is wrong and against ethics."

KPCC president G Parameshwara said: "It is unfortunate. No one should make such inferior comments. Srinivas should immediately apologize for his nasty remarks. The JD(S) leadership should restrain partymen from making such derogatory comments."

Mandya deputy commissioner seeks report

 The Mandya deputy commissioner, who is the returning officer for the byelection, has sought a video recording of Srinivas’ speech and a report from Srirangapatna tahsildar. D N Krishnaiah told TOI after going through details of the speech that action will be initiated against Srinivas under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which prohibits people from making vulgar statements or personal attacks. "I have to ascertain facts before proceeding with the law" he added.

Times view

 It’s another instance of politicians playing to the gallery in the time of polls. Such statements reduce the level of political discourse, amplify the depraved and chauvinistic mindsets of some in the political class and take away the focus on more pressing issues during an electoral battle. It also underscores how a largely patriarchal society endorses personal attacks against those women trying to make a mark in politics or administration, the Durga Nagpal episode being a case in point. The Election Commission should crack down on such below-the-belt statements so that it deters others from doing something similar.