Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Jan 7: Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel on Sunday January 7 hit out at the state government over the spate of killings of Deepak Rao in Katipalla and Basheer at Kottara Chowki and said that the government had failed to maintain law and order in the state. He also demanded compensation of Rs 50 lac to Basheer's family and expressed suspicions that drug mafia may be behind his and Deepak's murders.
Addressing an impromptu press meet after attending booth-level meeting of the BJP here, Nalin Kumar said, "There has been spate of attacks and murders continuously ever since the Congress government came to power in the state. Beginning with the attack on a woman in an ATM in Bengaluru, there have been attacks on students and murders of Hindu activists. Recently there was a murder at Kinnigoli, then a shootout in Mangauru, then Deepak murder and now Basheer's case. All this points to the fact that goondaism is on the rise under Congress rule.
"The present state government has been in power for over four-and-a-half years, but CM Siddaramaiah has still failed to take action on anti-social elements. No case has been investigated properly and police hands are tied. The CM and the home minister are not responding to all this. They need to take moral responsibility and follow up on these cases," he said.
"The Congress leaders are giving big speeches only for publicity and propaganda. Why are they interfering in matters of other parties? People trust the BJP and that is why they have given us the mandate.
"Congress should speak in a way that would build confidence in the public. Just announcing Rs 10 lac compensation is not enough, and in fact it is ploy to mislead the people. If Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Ramanath Rai had been doing his job properly, there would have no communal violence in the district.
"When BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa was the chief minister and Krishna J Palemar and then C T Ravi were the DK district in-charge minister, such incidents of communal violence did not happen. We agree that the home stay attack happened when BJP was in power in the state, but our government took immediate action in the case. The present state government needs to take strict action in the murder cases," he said.
Speaking to reporters separately, Nalin Kumar Kateel said that drug mafia that is prevalent in Punjab is spreading its tentacles in Dakshina Kannada too. "Drugs are being sold in petty shops too nowadays. The state government is hand in glove with the drug mafia. Drug menace was the reason behind the murders of Deepak and Basheer."
He also demanded compensation of Rs 50 lac for the family of Basheer.
"I strongly condemn Basheer's murder. May his soul rest in peace. Everyone has the right to live. The state government's failure to maintain law and order in the coastal region has given rise to a fearful atmosphere.
"The state government should give compensation of Rs 50 lac to Basheer's family," he said.
Reiterating that rowdyism has increased in the state, he said, "Dacoits as well as communal forces have increased under Siddaramaiah's regime. The CM is arrogant and has no control over his officials. If the CM had any dignity left, he would have resigned by now.
"We have no expections from the government now. Ramanath Rai is going to taste defeat in the coming elections. He is creating fear in the minds of people for vote bank. Rai speaks nonsense as he wishes," Nalin alleged.