The Hindu : Avoid `illegal' steps to free Nagappa: BJP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 02, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Avoid `illegal' steps to free Nagappa: BJP

By Our Special Correspondent

HUBLI Dec. 1. Is the State Government violating any law in seeking bail for the Tamil activist, Kolathur Mani, and withdrawing the cases against him?

Basavaraj Patil Sedam, President of the State unit of the BJP, was noncommittal when the question was posed to him at a press conference here today. He said the BJP was in favour of any step being taken within the ambit of the legal framework.

The State Cabinet recently decided to withdraw cases against Mani, following the forest brigand, Veerappan's demand that he should be sent as an emissary to negotiate the release of the former minister, H. Nagappa.

However, B.S. Yediyurappa, MLC, who was initially reluctant to respond to the question, said what was being done was illegal.

Mr. Sedam and Mr. Yediyurappa were addressing a press conference here today as part of the BJP's campaign for mobilising public opinion in favour of the dismissal of S.M. Krishna as Chief Minister, for the "omissions and commission" of the Government and its "nexus with a criminal".

Team to meet PM

Mr. Yediyurappa said the BJP would lead a delegation to New Delhi to apprise the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, and the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, about the state of affairs in Karnataka. Asked whether the party was pressing for any action against the State Government by the Centre, Mr. Yediyurappa said: "We would like to keep them fully posted.''

Mr. Sedam said his party had been opposing Mani's release and withdrawal of cases against him. It had made its stand clear at all-party meetings. The convening of a meeting of the Opposition parties to finalise a joint strategy evolved by the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Jagadish Shettar, had been delayed as the BJP was insisting that Mani should not be released, he added.

Mr. Sedam admitted that the BJP had earlier supported the Government's stand when the film star, Rajkumar, was kidnapped by Veerappan. However, it was disillusioned when the Government failed to apprehend Veerappan immediately after Mr. Rajkumar's release, even though the bandit remained in the State. The Government owed an explanation to the people in this connection, he said.

He accused the Government of having caused the collapse of the police machinery, and said it had affected security and steps against economic offences. The police and their political masters were busy "pleasing" Veerappan, he alleged. The Government had failed to nab the brigand not because it was a difficult task but because it was "unwilling" to do so, for fear of the bandit speaking about those in power and also the police force, he said.

`Nexus with brigand'

Besides the "revelations" in Veerappan's Prize Catch: Rajkumar, the book written by the former Director General and Inspector General of Police, C. Dinakar, Mr. Sedam said the "nexus" between the Government and Veerappan had been proved in another case.

He said the Chief Minister, who had rebuked the Minister of State for Agro Processing, Raju Gowda, for offering to go to the forests to negotiate the release of Mr. Nagappa, had allowed him to broadcast an appeal to Veerappan to release the former minister, he added.

Mr. Sedam said he was confident that his party's agitation against the Government would develop on the lines of a people's movement.

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