Who is Fouzia Tarannum? Karnataka IAS officer targeted by BJP MLC N Ravikumar's 'Pakistani' slur

NEW DELHI: Fouzia Tarannum, the deputy commissioner of Kalaburagi, is a senior IAS officer known for her dedicated public service in Karnataka. On Monday, she became the target of a controversial remark by Karnataka BJP MLC and opposition chief whip N Ravikumar, who allegedly referred to her as a "Pakistani," sparking outrage across the IAS fraternity nationwide.The controversy erupted during a BJP protest on May 24, when N Ravikumar accused Tarannum of acting on the orders of the Congress party and said "She seems to have come from Pakistan."Later Monday, Ravikumar issued a statement, saying: "It was a slip of the tongue, and I made these intemperate remarks inadvertently. I express my regret. I have withdrawn these remarks." The comments sparked outrage, leading to an FIR being registered against the MLC at the Station Bazaar police station under multiple sections of the IPC and SC/ST Atrocities Act.The IAS Officers’ Association swiftly condemned the remarks, demanding an unconditional apology. “Fouzia Tarannum is an officer of exemplary record. Such baseless and irresponsible comments inflict severe mental trauma and amount to harassment in the line of duty,” said the association in a statement.Support poured in from across the country’s civil services. Tripura’s resident commissioner in Delhi, Sonal Goel, drew parallels with similar targeting of women officers, highlighting the alarming trend of questioning the loyalty and identity of public servants. Retired IPS officer M N Reddi and serving IAS officer L K Atheeq also expressed solidarity with Tarannum.A delegation led by Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, submitting a memorandum demanding strict action against Ravikumar.In a statement, Ravikumar described his remarks as a “slip of the tongue” and expressed regret, though many officials deemed the apology insufficient.Reacting to the backlash, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra claimed political vendetta, accusing the Congress government of using police machinery to intimidate the opposition.