MANGALORE: Former chief minister and leader of the opposition in the legislative council D V Sadananda Gowda has demanded that CM Siddaramaiah and home minister K J George take stock of the law and order situation in coastal Karnataka. Noting that the law and order situation in this part of the state has been deteriorating, Gowda demanded that the duo come down, see the situation first hand and take corrective measures.
Inaugurating the 90th birthday celebrations of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee here on Wednesday, Gowda said: The chief minister and George should review the happenings in coastal Karnataka right from the gang rape of a medical student in Manipal to the latest slaying of a cooperative leader in Ankola and the kidnap and blackmailing of students at Deralakatte.”
If the government fails to protect the lives and liberty of the people, a time may come when the people are forced to hit the streets with arms to defend themselves, he warned, adding the present situation of lawlessness is spawned by the internal power squabbles within the ruling Congress. “Officials are not able to discharge their duties due to lack of proper directions from the top and anti-social elements are ruling the roost in the coast,” he said.
Citing instances of rampant cases of cattle theft in the recent past, the murder of R N Nayak at Ankola to the kidnap and blackmail incident at Deralakatte, Gowda said it will send a wrong message to rest of the world. “It is evident that underworld elements have the upper hand in the coastal districts,” he said, adding that the recent central intelligence warning that Naxalites are regrouping at Tamil Nadu-Kerala-Karnataka border too is a cause for worry.
All these developments makes one feel that the home department is non-existent in the state, Gowda said, adding the situation reminds one of the ‘Goonda Raj’ that Bihar witnessed some 15-20 years ago.
Taking the government on its claims of helping the arecanut growers, Gowda said as against the officially estimated loss of Rs 624 crore, the state government is making a big noise of Rs 20 crore released as compensation. “Even the Rs 175 crore package that was promised through Union agriculture minister Pawar has not materialised,” he said, adding BJP will hold protests in Shimoga on December 30 and here on January 2 on this issue.
