Nalapad Ahmed Haris, the two-term MLA from Shantinagar has most of Bengaluru’s Central Business District fall under him. He started his political career as a member of Youth Congress. He is a first generation MLA, whose father N A Mohammed also had tried his luck in politics. He contested elections from Indian National Congress (INC) in Kasaragod constituency in Kerala during 2004 parliamentary elections, but lost to CPM candidate P Karunakaran.
However, Nalapad Senior had laid the foundation for the successful Nalapad Group of Companies which also brought the family close politicians and political parties. He originally hailed from Kerala but migrated to Bhadravathi, came to Bengaluru and said to have started his journey as a scrap dealer. He soon established the Hotel Bangalore International and kickstarted the family’s rise from rags to riches. Nalapad family still owns properties in Kasargod.
Haris who was one of the richest candidates in the last elections with declared assets of Rs 133 crores diversified the family business into various interests including real estate, hospitality which he helped diversify etc. He is considered a close confidant of Bangalore incharge minister, K J George who is often credited for being the man behind Haris’s induction and meteoric rise in politics.
NA Haris is associated with these companies as a director or managing director: Nalapd Pipes and Machines Private Limited, Veekeyar Rubber Manufacturers Private Limited, Hiba Constructions Private Limited, Nalapad Contstructions Pvt Ltd, Hotel Highway Private Limited, Great India Builders Private Limited, Nalapad Brick N Mortar Services Private Limited, Raintree Trading Services (India) Private Limited, Hotel Bangalore International Private Limited, Nalapad Hotels Private Limited, Nalapad Mines and Minerals Private Limited, Nalapad Hotels and Resorts Private Limited, Nalapad Infotech Private Limited, Lanapd Suraksha Private Limited, Kasargod CT Scan and Diagnostic Centre Private Limited.
Haris’ net asset was worth Rs 86 crores in 2008, which jumped to Rs 133 crores in 2013.
Check: MyNeta profile of N A Haris for his affidavits.
Due to the recent controversies surrounding his son, Haris had to apologise publicly in the Legislative House. However, he has been said to be alienated by his party members.
Haris in the Assembly
In his last term as MLA, N A Haris was the chairman of Committee on Welfare of Women and Children and House Committee Regarding Working Style of Clubs in the State, and was a member of House Committee Regarding Tanks Encroachment (Koliwad Committee) and Joint House Committee (Media).
- Attendance % in Assembly: 94
- Starred questions:39
- Unstarred questions:671
November 11, 2015: Haris asked a question about the status of filling vacancies in government hospitals.
March 21, 2016: Haris spoke in support of formation of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).
February 7, 2017: Haris sought to know the status of Akrama Sakrama through a question, and demanded its quick implementation. He also asked the government to not touch Green Belt areas while designing the Master Plan. K J George, the minister, said that there is a process for Master Plan designing, which will take care of all the issues.
He also explained the dangers of mobile tower radiation and the need to regulate placement of mobile towers in residential and commercial areas.
March 20, 2017: He spoke in the assembly on lack of parks in Shanthinagar layout, and urged the government to reclaim the encroached CA site and construct a park.
March 22, 2017: Haris proposed a Press Council of Karnataka to control instances of mindless coverage in television, and pointed to lack of suitable law to control television channels.
(This data has been taken from the uncorrected version of the debates uploaded in kla.kar.nic.in, but do not include expunged words or subjects. The data was compiled using a simple word search for the MLA’s name in different combinations, and may not include all the instances.)
Haris in the news
May 10, 2013: NA Haris disclosed the highest income out of all the winning MLAs with Rs 49.98 crore quoted on his income tax records.
December 4, 2013: He questioned the Chief Minister on problems faced by the BBMP to execute developmental projects more efficiently. He also raised the issue of the delays in acquiring land to build the signal-free corridor on Hosur road, primarily due to objections from the Defence Ministry.
January 14, 2015: Haris tried to join the Ugly Indian clean up drive by tearing down posters put up to celebrate his birthday, displaying his civic duty. Bangalore Mirror reported that Haris’ supporters created unwanted drama while removing the posters, blocking and delaying traffic at Trinity Circle.
April 16, 2015: Haris accompanied the Kerala delegation headed by Chief Minister Oman Chandy, and tried to talk to the Chief Minister on behalf of Kerala delegation, which wasn’t encouraged by Siddaramaiah.
March 30, 2017: Haris headed a joint committee in the women and child welfare department and recommended to IT companies that they should not allow women to work night- shifts.
July 7, 2017: MLA Haris stopped the escalation of a protest by BMRCL employees. He promised to address the injustice meted out to two BMRCL staffers for quarrelling with officers from Karnataka State Industrial Security Force . He also agreed to resolve their most basic problems.
September 6, 2017: In an interview with News9, Haris condemned the brutal murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh for her outspokenness. He said that violence was not the answer and that people should disagree peacefully.
September 10, 2017: MLA N A Haris acted quickly on the demand of citizens to build a wall over the leaking SWD in Cambridge Layout when rain-water flooded Koramangala. However, the residents expressed dissatisfaction over with the poor condition of the wall.
November 23, 2017: Haris raised the question in assembly on the tentative time set to introduce electric buses on roads. Answering him, transport minister HM Revanna said so far, charging points have been identified in selective depots.
January 20, 2018: Ahead of the state assembly elections, politicians launched a poster-war’ to increase visibility. N A Haris and son’s life-sized posters were erected in the middle of the constituency, causing tension between BJP and the ruling party.
Assault controversy shakes Congress
On February 17, 2018, the MLA’s son, Karnataka Youth Congress President Mohammed Haris Nalapad, allegedly assaulted Vidwat, son of politically connected businessman, Lokanath, inside the upmarket Farzi Cafe. The CCTV footage showed the attack was unprovoked. It ended in a brutal attack with bottles as weapons used by seven of his close aides at the UB City parking lot. Mohammed allegedly followed the victim back to Mallya hospital and threatened him not to press charges.
Vidwath suffered fractured ribs, face disfiguration and had trouble breathing. His condition was said to be worsening according to reports speculating he was being moved to Singapore for special treatment. The accused’s father, NA Haris, retaliated by posting the victim’s five page medical records on Twitter, trying to control the public perception of his condition. The public prosecutor Shyam Sundar considered this irresponsible and a violation of constitutional rights.
CM Siddaramaiah tweeted saying the 28 year old should be punished to the full extent of the law and immediately suspended him from the party for six years. On his son’s behalf, MLA Nalapad apologized to the assembly in an open letter and explained the incident was being blown out of proportion prior to elections.
Subsequently, Mohammed was booked for attempt to murder ( Section 307 of the IPC) by the Cubbon Park police station,a non bailable offence. He was kept in custody at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail on surrendering 37 hours after the police registered a complaint.
High Court justice Harish Kumar rejected his bail plea on March 13 fearing the case could be influenced by vested interests.