Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore, Apr 15: "Praja Prabhutva Vedike will support BJP PM candidate Narendra Modi in this elections, as he is a good administrator," said Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi, president of Praja Prabhutva Vedike (PPV).
A day after the district BJP denied inducting Thimarodi into the party after his meeting with BJP candidate Nalin Kumar Kateel and RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat stirred much debate, Thimarodi said that although his organization would support Modi, he will not join any political party.
Addressing a press meet here on Tuesday April 15, Thimarodi who had led the movement for justice in the sensational Sowjanya rape and murder case, said, "We will support Narendra Modi but we have not sold ourselves to any of the political parties. Our country needs an efficient PM like Narendra Modi, hence after holding consultations with the activists and leaders of Praja Prabhuthva Vedike, we have come to this decision."
He further said, "Praja Prabhutva Vedike does not want to politicalize the Sowjanaya case. We will be fighting for Sowjanya till she gets the justice. Not only the communist party but also other political parties should support this issue. Even the leaders of Sangh Parivar have supported me in Sowjanya’s case, so also many Christians and Muslims who are in our Vedike."
"This is a democracy and we have the right to choose any party. Though PPV supports Narendra Modi, our stand on Sowjanya case will be the same. I do not have any confidence in this CBI report. We will file a PIL in the Supreme Court for a CBI inquiry under the supervision of Supreme Court. Presently, we are arranging documents to move the PIL. Fight for justice in Sowjanya's case is a revolution, and Praja Prabhutva Vedike will still fight for it. CPI (M) is campaigning by misusing the photo of Sowjanya," he said.
Explaining his meeting with Nalin Kumar Kateel, he said, "I respect anyone who comes to me, hence I garlanded Nalin Kumar Kateel. Even Yadav Shetty from CPI(M) came to my house. I have nothing to do with BJP but I support Narendra Modi."
"State government did not give Sowjanya’s case to CBI"
Levelleling a strong allegation against the Congress state government, he said, "The state government did not hand over Sowjanya’s case to CBI. The officers of a special investigation team who visited Dharmasthala, Ujire and Subramanya saw posters and hoardings of Sowjanya and collected information about the movement for justice. Thereafter they wrote a letter to the state government to hand over the case to the CBI."
On this occasion Santhosh Kumar Sandeep Shetty, Manoj Kumar and Sukeerthi were present.
Thimarodi's decision is his own: Sowjanya's mother
Soon after Mahesh Thimarodi's press meet, Sowjanya's mother Kusumavati and uncle Vittal Gowda came to the same venue and addressed a press meet. However, Mahesh Thimarodi left after they came.
Addressing reporters, Kusumavati said, "We are not with any political party, we only want justice for our daughter. All parties should support us."
Asked why Thimarodi had pledged support to Modi, she said, "It is his personal choice, but we are neutral and do not support any party or politician. We cannot tell Thimarodi what to do, it is his own decision."
She further said that even the CPI(M) had approached them to support the party in order to seek votes, but she and her husband turned down the request.
"Everyone should support us in our fight for justice irrespective of caste, religion or party," she urged.
Asked to comment on Thimarodi's statement that the CPI(M) had used Sowjanya's photo for campaign, Kusumavati said she and her husband had orally asked the CPI(M) not to do so.