Govt has Taken Rudresh Murder a Challenge and Formed 6 Teams for Investigation – Ivan D’Souza
Mangaluru: “In the Rudresh murder case, the government has formed 6 teams to nab the accused. If anyone is murdered, the government will take stern action against the accused. The accused whoever they are they will be punished. Rudresh is an RSS worker and there is pressure on the government from the opposition. In this connection, the government has taken this case as a challenge and formed 6 teams to investigate. So far 35 persons have been taken into custody for questioning”, said the Chief Whip of Karnataka Legislative Assembly Ivan D’Souza in a press meet held at his office here on October 21.
Ivan further said, “The BJP leaders, including the former CM Yeddyurappa, said that if the case will not be cracked we will call for a statewide bandh. If anyone is killed we should not give any political colour. BJP is blaming that the congress workers killed Rudresh and have demanded for the arrest of the accused. When there are such incidents we should condemn them, but comparing Karnataka state to Kerala model is wrong. If any BJP person is killed in Karnataka, BJP leaders say that it is Kerala model or Bihar model but during the elections the same BJP leaders say that it is a Gujarat Model. It is the joint responsibility of the state and central government to solve such problems”.
Ivan also said, “When there are such incidents, political leaders should discuss them in the Parliament. The BJP showing double standards because when RTI activist Vinayak Baliga was killed allegedly by the NaMo brigade chief, MP Nalin Kumar nor Shobha Karandlaje did not protest against the murder, nor did they visited his house even though he was a BJP member. When Praveen Poojary was killed, there was no protest against the killers. Praveen Poojary was killed by his own party members who had food with him and when he had pleaded for mercy, 22 persons assaulted and killed him. Even at that time, Shobha did not raise her voice against the murder, neither did she visit Praveen’s house nor demand for compensation to Praveen’s family. Now she is sitting in front of Gandhi statue in Bengaluru demanding justice for Rudresh murder. There are 69 cases registered for inciting speeches in the twin districts of which 63 are registered in DK. Why did it happen? Who registered the cases and why 63 cases have been registered in DK?” he questioned.
Ivan further said, “RSS workers have demanded revolvers for self-defense, why only RSS workers need revolvers? Is there no value for the life of others? If the government does not provide guns, they have threatened that they will have them”. Whoever needed guns, the BJP government has given them the guns when they were in power but after congress came to power, we did not take their guns back. When BJP was in power from 2008 to 2013 how many places suffered due to communal violence? How many people were been targetted and how many were killed, who is responsible for it? let them give the figures, we are ready for any debate on this issue”.
MP Nalin Kumar says, there is a Kerala type Model of administration in the state. In every issue Nalin compares our state to Kerala, which is not good. The BJP is trying to defame the Congress government. Demanding guns even for the self-defense is not good. Rudresh was a RSS worker and the state government has taken this case as a challenge and we will surely arrest the accused in the case. Such incidents should not be given a political colour, he said.
Ibrahim Kodijal and others were also present.