Denying Entry to Opposition leaders to Mluru is Murder of Democracy – Siddaramaiah
Mangaluru: “Two persons lost their lives in the police firing in Mangaluru and many others were injured. Both Jalil and Nausheen belong to poor families, Jalil was the sole breadwinner of the family. Today I along with Former Home Minister M B Patil and Zameer Ahmed visited Jalil and Nausheen’s house and met their family members. We also visited the injured in the hospital. The reason we are here is to visit the family members of the deceased, visit those injured and also to collect necessary information about the incident. I wanted to come to Mangaluru on December 20 but received a notice that permission to land my Charter flight at the Mangaluru Airport was denied. The Mangaluru police commissioner had served me a notice, saying that Section 144 was in place and could not land in Mangaluru or even come to Mangaluru by road and that Curfew was imposed until December 22 midnight. As a leader of the opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly, I have been given the cabinet ranking accordingly. Being a leader in opposition is similar like a shadow chief minister in a democracy. As an opposition leader, if I am denied permission to visit Mangaluru, it is nothing but a murder of democracy”, said the former chief minister Siddaramaiah in a press meet held at the Circuit House here on December 23.
Addressing the mediapersons Siddaramaiah said, “On December 21, CM Yediyurappa came to Mangaluru along with Home minister, DCM and also Shobha Karandlaje. Shobha also made a statement putting allegations on the opposition party. Who is she? Is she representing Mangaluru people? If she is allowed to visit Mangaluru during curfew why they oppose us to visit Mangaluru? It is at the instruction of the CM. When I was the chief minister no any such incidents occurred. For five years during our rule, we forgot that the police have guns. They did not have any work with the guns, but after Yediyurappa came to power, there was firing on the farmers, attack on churches etc. Why do such incidents occur during BJP rule? It is a total failure of the state government. The government has failed to maintain law and order situation in the state. People throughout the country oppose CAB and NRC and are protesting. There were protests not only in Mangaluru but in Bengaluru and other states people protested. According to me, there was no need to impose section 144 because there was no such situation. If there was no section 144, people would have protested peacefully”.
Siddaramaiah further said, “To protest any wrong by the government, people have the right and it is the fundamental right of the people to protest. The Constitution has provided the right to the people to protest when there is injustice but the government imposed section 144 to suppress the fundamental rights of the citizens. In Bangaluru section 144 was imposed and people were allowed to protest. In Bengaluru, more than 10,000 people gathered to protest against the NRC and CAB, when in Bengaluru if people can protest why not in Mangaluru? In Mangaluru a maximum of 150 people were protesting but the police resorted lathi-charge. The Police say that the protesters came from Kerala. Journalists are the fourth pillar of democracy. Police say that protesters tried to enter the police station which is a concocted story. First of all they lied and created a fearful situation in Mangaluru.
There is the Supreme court ordered as to when and how section 144, or curfew or shoot at sight should be imposed or ordered. According to me, the police had given permission to protest but later they imposed section 144. But when the protesters came to protest without any warning the police resorted to lathi-charge. Later they fired at the protesters without any announcement. I also watched a video where the police barged into a hospital and were trying to enter the ICU. I strongly demand a judicial probe by a sitting high court judge in this incident. Now the government has agreed for a CID inquiry. Can you expect justice if the police themselves investigate the case?” Questioned Siddaramaiah
Siddaramaiah also said, “A police Inspector in a video was saying that you have fired 10 rounds but no one has died so far, which proves the firing was done purposely. When I met the police Commissioner he said that we have changed the Inspector but I say that the police Inspector should be dismissed immediately. These are created stories by the police. The situation was normal and there were no weapons. The police had given permission on the previous day and the next day permission was denied. It is evident that the police themselves instigated the violence. CM Yediyurappa and the Home Minister are directly responsible for this. Those who have been admitted in the hospital have also been booked by the police. The police have instigated violence and have booked the innocent. I strongly demand a judicial probe by a sitting High Court judge. Now the government has assured to do a CID inquiry. Who is in the CID and who is investigating? If the police themselves do the inquiry can you expect justice? This is just an eyewash. The government is trying to protect those who are responsible for the killing of two persons. Those who died in the police firing have also been booked by the police as accused number 3 and 8. For the first time, I am seeing those killed in the firing as the accused.”
When asked about the statement of Central minister Suresh Angadi, Siddaramaiah said, “Who do you keep guns at home – to worship them?” Siddaramaiah said, “Being a central minister he has given the most irresponsible and provocative statement. A Suo Motu case should be filed against him. He is not fit to continue as a minister. What message is he giving the police? He has given the message to the police to shoot. He is not fit to be a minister. BJP has filed a case against U T Khader. But what about Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat who enacted destroying of the Babri Masjid at his school. The Supreme Court has ordered not to repeat the Babri Masjid issue, is it not an offense? When we were in power CT Ravi, Shobha Karandlaje and others have delivered inciting and provocative speeches. Khader had just advised the government which is not an offense. This is a politically motivated complaint lodged against Khader”.
While concluding Siddaramaiah said, “Those innocent people arrested should be released immediately and all allegations against them should be dropped. We are trying to do justice with the people who are innocent. I was not allowed to come to Mangaluru! We will take this matter very seriously. The BJP is blaming us saying Urban Naxals and the Congress party is responsible for the violence. Who is in West Bengal, Assam, Nithish Kumar belongs to which party? Whose government is in Lucknow? In UP 18 people died whose government is in power? All these states are ruled by the BJP. Narendra Modi should not mislead the people, this is an undeclared emergency in the state.
Former ministers M B Patil, Zameer Ahmed, Vinay Kumar Sorake, Abhaychandra Jain, U T Khader, former MLAs J R Lobo, Shakuntala Shetty, Moideen Bava, MLC Ivan D’Souza, DCC President Harish Kumar and others were also present.
