Bengaluru: Minister for Home Ramlinga Reddy on Monday said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi would reply to the BJP leaders’ allegations at an appropriate time.

“BJP leaders Shobha Karandlaje, Prakash Javadekar, and R Ashok have been asking Rahul Gandhi to reply to their queries on Congress MLA N A Haris’s son Mohammed Nalapad’s case. Gandhi will reply to their queries at an appropriate time,’’ Reddy told media persons here.

Stating that there was no delay in arresting Mohammed Nalapad, the minister has criticized Shobha Karandlaje for making allegations against him.

“Shobha Karandlaje has alleged that I have met the Commissioner of Police and advised him to help Nalapad by registering a case against him under Section 307A. I never met the Commissioner of Police. She is making baseless allegations against me,’’ the minister said.

Coming down heavily on the BJP leaders for alleging that the police did not act against the Congress leaders involved in criminal activities, the minister said that the police have been directed to be tough with those violating the law irrespective of political affiliation. “We have acted against Mohammed Nalapad and former KR Puram Block Congress Committee president Narayanaswamy. We are not obliged to know from the BJP leaders on taking action against the accused persons,’’ the minister said.

He criticized the double-standards of the BJP leaders. “The BJP leaders have demanded to book cases against Congress leaders but they are silent when it comes to their party activists. They did not demand action against BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa’s personal assistant Santosh for attacking K.S. Eshwarappa’s personal assistant Vinay. They also did not demand action against those BJP activists who killed Govinde Gowda. I condemn their double-standard in demanding action against selected persons,’’ he said.

He also criticized Yeddyurappa for not cooperating with the police in the case involving his personal assistant. “Yeddyurappa has been touring the state without any fatigue but when it comes to visiting the police station in Bengaluru to record his statement, he cites his old age as the reason for not being able to visit the police station,’’ he said.