Police commissionerate for M’lore

From our Bangalore office
BANGALORE : State Home Minister MP Prakash has informed that a Police Commissionerate’s Office would be set up in Mangalore which had witnessed communal riots recently.
The minister has also said that a police commissioner of IGP rank would be deputed to the city, with two IPS officers under him.
It has been gathered that the state government has given its immediate approval to the proposal for a police commissionerate office in the wake of the recent incidents of violence. It may be recalled here that such a proposal was pending since the past ten years, with the home ministry however failing to come to any conclusion till recently.

Communal fury in city, outskirts leaves 2 dead, over 100 injured

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : The city and its surrounding areas including Ullal, Suratkal and several parts of the district, witnesed incidents of violence and communal clashes, following sudden developments that caught the citizens unaware.
Everything began on tthe night of October 4 when a speeding mini truck carrying cattle ran over a pedestrian near Lalbagh and then dashed against two jeeps and headed towards the Kudroli slaughter house, only for the jeep drivers to chase it. But everything seemed to be pre-planned when a group that was all set in Kudroli to guard the mini truck began to hurl stones and bottles at the two jeeps. Eventually, a clash ensued and even a hotel in the vicinity was attacked.
The police force arrived at the spot but failed to take control of the situation the result of which was that several more vehicles passing that way were damaged. Even Mangalore MLA Yogish Bhat tried to pacify the two groups but failed in his attempt and the Bhajrangdal wasted no time in giving a call for a Mangalore bundh the next day.
The bundh was a forcible one and the city witnessed a splurge in violence with group clashes reported from various parts of the city with reports also mentioning of attacks on some places of worship. The prohibitory orders enforced under Section 144 was not of much help with the police force in the city seeming highly inadequate to tackle the situation more so because a signifcant police strength from here had already been sent to Chikmagalur. Even firing in the air and lobbing of tear gas shells failed in bringing the situation under control.
As if one bundh call was not sufficient, the Sri Rama Sene gave a call for another bundh the subsequent day -this time to protest against the arrest of its leader Pramod Mutalik in Chikmagalur. But this bundh call only gave further room for perpetrators of violence to have their way and the violence spread to several more parts of the district and Ullal witnessed much more violence after a place of worship was attacked near Deralakatte. Curfew was imposed in Ullal that day and extended even to Mangalore city and rural limits the next day. RAF and CRPF platoons were also deployed in the city and they conducted a flag march in the city and Ullal and other affected areas.
The clashes left two killed and over 145 injured. Nearly 408 persons were arrested, while there had been 273 preventive arrests. Nearly 121 vehicles were either damaged or torched during the violence. The number of shops damaged accounted to 105 while the total losses stood at over Rs 2 crore. One of the killed was the Imam of a mosque at the Bejai New Road in the city. He was fatally attacked by some miscreants. The other death took place in a stabbing case at Polali Addoor when a violent mob torched an ambulance after killing one Ibrahim who was inside it.
Curfew continued for three days with some relaxation in between when the violence hit areas returned to normalcy.
Several leaders right from the chief minister Kumaraswamy, deputy chief minister Yadiyurappa, home minister MP Prakash, union minister of state for home Prakash Jaiswal, former chief minister Dharam Singh, KPCC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajya Sabha member Janardhan Poojari, administrative reforms’ commission chairman Veerappa Moily, minorities commission chairman Mohammad Masood, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, Mangalore MP DV Sadananda Gowda and former minister Kagod Timmappa visited the riot hit areas and consoled the victims admitted to various hospitals.
The chief minister as well as the home minister ruled out a judicial probe into the violence as demanded by the opposition parties.
Compaints were heard from some BJP leaders that the son of the legislator of Ullal was behind the violence and also of the hands of organisations like SIMI. Even the home minister mentioned about the complaints and during his visit to the city said the government was planning to penalise the organisations that gave the bundh calls which ultimately turned violent.

CM raps SP

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : It has been reliably learnt that chief minister Kumaraswamy, during his recent visit to the city had taken the district SP Dayananda to task for his failure to deal with the recent volatile situation efficientlly.
The CM who had summoned a few senior police officials to Circuit House for discusion, later addessing the SP questioned "People wherever I had been in the district, have complained against you. Even social workers, intellectuals and minority community leaders say your inaction and inefficiency led to violence. What are you doing in the district?"
Reports said the chief minister even had no hesitation to question the SP saying "What about the local newspaper reports saying your collusion with some political forces and organisations led to the escalation of violence . What do you have to say ?"
The meeting was attended by senior officials including CoD director general Srinivasan who has been deputed to probe the violence.
It may be mentioned here that leaders and representatives of various organisations had earlier made it a point to the chief minister that the SP had not made any effort to round up the Bhajrangdal and Sri Rama Sene who had given the bundh call and that the police force was inactive when members of some anti-social organisation including KFD were moving around royally on roads wielding weapons.
In this backdrop, the CM had sought an explanation from the SP.
In the meantime, the chief minister is in a dilemma as the district minister was totally in favour of the SP even as there is a demand to transfer him.

Violence hits B C Road too

BANTWAL : Even as Mangalore slowly limped back to normalcy, violence once again hit BC Road which too had witnessed disturbance a few days ago, when miscreants struck a reign of terror near the BC Road bus stand forcing people to run helter skelter.
The rioteers who seemed to be very much pre-planned first snapped power connection and taking advantage of the darkness, attacked several shops and business establishments in the area and even hurled an explosive at people waiting for buses at the bus stand, forcing them to flee.
Several persons including the shop owners received stab injuries in the process and were admitted to the hospital. The assailants even robbed valuables on the person of the owners of some of the shops attacked.
Police security in the area was stepped up following the incident and several were taken into custody.

Panel led by Addl Secy to probe M’lore riots

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : The state government has issued an order entrusting the probe into the two deaths reported during the Mangalore riots to the CoD and the investigation of the violence to the state Additional Chief Secretary AK Agarwal.
The committee led by Agarwal has to file its report on the causes of the violence and those responsible for the same within the next 15 days.
In the meantime, chief minister has decided to go in for the wait and watch policy in the backdrop of the increasing demand from Congress, BJP and other parties for a judicial probe.
In case a judicial probe is ordered, than all those against whom allegations have been levelled will have to be subject to interrogation and even the district in-charge minister would come under this purview and in that case, the government is likely to face embarrassment.
It has been learnt that it was owing to this reason that the state government decided to order investigation by a committee led by the additional chief secretary.

Fear still looms large in violence hit areas

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : The communal violence and group clashes reported from various parts of Mangalore and Bantwal taluks earlier this month, have left people so panic-stricken that they have still not come out from their fear.
In areas which are largely inhabited by minority community, it is the majority community which is in fear and vice versa. The worst sufferers are the children, women and the aged.
Today, people of many areas in the two taluks, fear to step out of their houses no sooner darkness sets in and one more reason for their fear is the reports of police atrocities.
Cops are keeping a strict vigil in various areas, more particularly sensitive areas. Complaints are now pouring in that leave apart violence, it were police atrocities that were proving a nightmare to residents of Ullal, Padil, Farangipete, Kannur, Kudroli and other areas.
Even the home minister is aware of this fact and his action against erring cops is presently awaited.
Moreover, there is also a complaint that the police atrocities was highest on the minority community itself and there are many who even complained how they were caned by the police saying "You have developed fat by consuming beef." All these aspects came to light through Home Guards who too wer pressed into service during the violence.
There are several Muslims who shed tears while saying that innocent women were attacked and valuable furnitures and appliances in the house broken courtesy police brutality.
Many even say the very sight of a police vehicle is now enough to instill fear among residents who have been victims of atrocities.
Now it is the duty of the senior police officials to visit the affected areas and people and convince them that there would be no more such incidents in the future.
Merciless action assured: In the meantime, IGP Satyanarayana Rao when contacted in this regard also admitted to have received complaints of police atrocities on innocents. He also stated that action would be inaitiated against the guilty unhesitantly if the complaints were found to be true.

Letters to Editor

CBI must probe M’lore violence
Dear editor,
Recently some BJP backed organisations gave bundh calls in the city, which ultimately turned violent in the form of communal clashes. This is the special contribution of the BJP-JD(S) coalition government to the people of the district.
The district has incurred crores of rupees of losses due to the bundh. Leaders as expected began hurling accusations against each other following the violence. While the Congress blamed the BJP the BJP chose to blame the Congress.
No sooner the BJP-JD(S) coalition government came into existence in the state , the Rajya Sabha member B Janardhan Poojari had said that the inexperience of the present government would choke the people of the state one day. That has been proved right now.
Theref should be a CBI probe into the Mangalore riots.
B Raghavendra Mangalore

Boycott communal bodies
Dear editor,
We are all children of Mother India and are equals. All these words are just meant for our poems and not in real life and this has been proved by the violence that rocked various parts of Dakshina Kannada district including Mangalore earlier this month.
Who initiated the violence and why ? To give an exact answer to this question is a tough task.
Peace can be a distant dream for the district as long as organisations like the KFD, Bhajrangdal and Sri Rama Sene are based here.
It was a communal outfit called the KFD which first created the problem at Bajpe by objecting to a tablueau. At the same time, one does notunderstand why the Hindu organistions too chose to have a tableau depicting Bappa Beary.
If at all the entire nation comprised of Hindus, then the Hindu organisations would not have expressed such deep love for the cattle. It is not that they love cattle but it is just a means to rake violence and controversies.
Had the Hindu organisations really loved cattle, then they could have very well purchased all cattle meant for sale and then rear them. Contrarily, thrashing those who are transporting the cattle after purchasing them from Hindus themselves, is nothing but heights of foolishness.
On the other hand, even members of the Muslim community should stop the practice of smuggling cattle as this hurts the religious sentiments of the majority Hindus.
Today the need of the hour is for the peace loving people of the district to boycott organisations like the KFD, Bhajrangdal and Sri Rama Sene . No one will gain from the activities of these organisations.
Kabeer Mangalore

DC, SP must quit
Dear editor,
The district superintendent of police B Dayananda, deputy commissioner Maheshwar Rao and district in-charge minister Nagaraj Shetty failed to contain the violence in Dakshina Kannada district in the initial stage itself.We do not want such irresponsible officers and ministers.
All the violence would have been averted if the Hindu organisations were restrained from giving the bundh call. Let there be a probe by the State Human Rights Commission into all the aspects pertaining to the violence.
TM Abdul Latif Mangalore

City’s industrial progress-below expectations
Dear editor,
At a seminar arranged at the St Aloysius College in the city recently, all the speakers were unanimous in their opinion that the district had ample opportunities for investment. A similar opinion had been voiced when MRPL landed in the city 14 years ago.
But the fact is that industrial progress is not as expected in the district. Today private industries are hesitant to lay foot in the district. Several reasons may be attributed to the same.
Is it the strong environmental movement in the district, or the militant trade unions here or the selfishness of the brokers -builders and land mafia here that is dissuading investors ?. Do the people here lack entrepreneurial qualities or is it that our government is inactive ?
Why is it that the district has not made any rapid strides on the production front when it has registered significant progress in banking, education and hotel industry ?
How is it that jeans textile industry witnessed a boom in Bellary which had no conducive environment for the growth of such an industry ? Nearly 50 per cent of the tailors in Mumbai are from DK origin. Still why is it that the textile industry has not developed in our district as expected ? It is the private entrepreneurs who developed the beedi industry here by procuring tobacco from the far off Nippani Kolhapur and beedi leaves from Madhya Pradesh. Where have all these entrepreneurial qualities now lost ? Nearly 70 years ago, Mangalore and Coimbatore were almost equals . However the industrial production in Coimbatore was 10 per cent more than that of Mangalore.
Coimbatore could register much more progress than Mangalore despite it not having a port which Mangalore enjoys. Isn’t it true that the environmentalism and the trade unionism in this part of the district has refrained entrepreneurs from setting foot in the district, whilemany entrepreneurs from here are preferring to settle in Pune, Mumbai or Bangalore ?.
What we notice is that investment is taking place only in real estate in the city. What we need is not investment in real estate but in industries which can generate more and more employment opportunities for our people.
Praveen S Shetty Mangalore

Over 200 youth behind bars in name of violence

MANGALORE : Over 200 youth who were arrested by the police during the violence that rocked various parts of the district recently are now lodged in Bellary jail while a few are in the Mangalore jail. What is noteworthy here is that it is being said that a majority of them are innocents.
There are many who say that the police have just pushed each and everyone they came across, behind bars in the name of controlling violence, while the fact is that the actual culprits are still looming large.
By the by, it is a tragedy that our police personnel have failed in differentiating between the culprits and the innocents. It is being said that the cops merely to increase the number of arrests have taken such a step and have subject them to so much of punishment that it may take a much longer time for them to carry out their daily activities, once released.
Today, there are several families among us who are shedding tears for their near and dear ones who are pushed behind bars for no reason. Those arrested include college students, private employees, labourers and even some shopkeepers.
Most of those arrested have never been involved in any act of violence and there are many who might not even have stepped into police stations, and are now behind bars.
Of the several innocents behind bars are a significant number of Muslim youth as also Hindu youth, with this mindless act of the cops, depriving their families of the joy of Ramzan and Diwali.

Over 200 youth behind bars in name of violence

MANGALORE : Over 200 youth who were arrested by the police during the violence that rocked various parts of the district recently are now lodged in Bellary jail while a few are in the Mangalore jail. What is noteworthy here is that it is being said that a majority of them are innocents.
There are many who say that the police have just pushed each and everyone they came across, behind bars in the name of controlling violence, while the fact is that the actual culprits are still looming large.
By the by, it is a tragedy that our police personnel have failed in differentiating between the culprits and the innocents. It is being said that the cops merely to increase the number of arrests have taken such a step and have subject them to so much of punishment that it may take a much longer time for them to carry out their daily activities, once released.
Today, there are several families among us who are shedding tears for their near and dear ones who are pushed behind bars for no reason. Those arrested include college students, private employees, labourers and even some shopkeepers.
Most of those arrested have never been involved in any act of violence and there are many who might not even have stepped into police stations, and are now behind bars.
Of the several innocents behind bars are a significant number of Muslim youth as also Hindu youth, with this mindless act of the cops, depriving their families of the joy of Ramzan and Diwali.

Hindu youth’s namaz in Sullia!

From CT correspondent
SULLIA : A queer incident that took place at Sullia recently, has been the talk of the town.
Recently, a Hindu youth from Mysore, who had been to the Gandhinagar Jumma Masjid to offer Namaz was trapped by locals and handed over to the police.
The other Muslims offering namaz in the mosque grew suspcious as the youth did not know the proper practice of offering namaz.
On interrogation, he is said to have told the police that he is a person who had belief in all faiths and that he practiced Hinduism, Christianity and Islam in daily life and offered prayers at temples, churches and mosques.
The police let him free on coming to know that he was innocent.
The youth hailing from Mysore, was studying in theSullia engineering college and had been to the mosque along with his friends when he was trapped. When others were offering namaz, even his mobile phone rang and his way of speaking made those around suspect him.
According to one source, this particular youth was in love with a Muslim lady. Probably, he was resorting to all these tactics just to please his lady love.

Plaint to CM against notorious Chandrashekhar Swami

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : A certain Abdul Latif of Moodbidri has filed a complaint with the chief minister against the notorious astrolger of Kilpady near Mulki, Chandrashekhar Swami alleging that the latter was harassing them without paying the amount due to the labourers who did the wood works of the bungalow constructed by the Swami.
The complaint lodged with the CM when he had been to the city recently, said that the Swami owed Rs 23,000 to the labourers and when enquired, his so called disciple one Guru had threatened the labourers.
As per the agreement, the labourers engaged in wood polishing works though had to be given Rs 85,106, only Rs 62,000 was paid to them.
The chief minister is learnt to have assured the complainant that action would be taken against the guiilty however influential he might be.
Though Latif had lodged a complaint in this regard in Mulki station in May last, the accused were summoned to the station and left after due waring. The police personnel had then even directed the complainant to lodge a suit in the court as the case was civil in nature.

Imam’s murder: Are the arrested actual killers?

MANGALORE : The police team led by Kadri inspector Chandrashekhar had recently arrested seven persons in connection with the murder of Abdul Gafoor Madani, Imam of a mosque, at Bejai Anegundi during the recent riots. But the question now is, are the arrested the actual killers of the Imam?
Though the usual practice is for the cops to detail on the arrests and the investigation process, in this particular case, no such information has been provided. What has been noticed is that the police are in an undue haste to close the case by arresting someone.
Those arrested in connection with the murder are Gopal of Belthangady, Pramod Suvarna of Venoor, Ravi alias Annappa, Mohan alias Mohan Rao, KB Manoj alias Manoj Kumar of Kavoor Gandhinagar, Vijaya Prakash of Kumpala and Padmaraj of Mangalore. But what is being heard of late is that the police have just passed the buck on some innocents just to please one particular community and also to evade the blame of being inactive.
Police say a bike has been recovered from the arrested. The question is whether all the accused moved in the same bike ? It is not known if the arrested have divulged about the other vehicles used by them.
There are many who even question how the cops who could not arrest a certain Lakshman, the accused in the murder of a young lady in the city, could apprehend the killers of the Imam within such a short span when they have still been unable to solve the mysteries behind many murders that took place long back.
The police who did not look back in blaming the Dandupalya gang for the murder of a doctor in the city a few years ago, can very well put the blame on innocents in this murder case too.
Probably, the real culprits in this case may be laughting at the act of our cops !.

Kids disappointed as drawing event organisers go missing !

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : In a rather unusual incident, a drawing contest on Mahatma Gandhiji arranged by various organisations including the Lalitha Kala Academy of Bangalore at the Ravindra Mantap of MGM College in Udupi, turned out to be a disappointment for several enthusiast participants, when the organisers themselves were missing at the venue. Eventually, the circumstances forced the parents present there to themselves conduct the contest with the assistance of artiste Ramesh Kidiyoor. The contest was organised by several institutions apart from the Lalitha Kala Academy including Academy of General Education, Manipal, Rashtra Kavi Govind Pai Research Centre, MGM College, Udupi and Kuteer Manipal.
The details of the contest had appeared in newspapers and several students, some even from Karkala and Kundapur had arrived at the venue along with their parents. Signifcant number of public too had taken part. But, the organisers were missing much to the wrath of the participants and their parents.
Finally artiste Ramesh Kidiyoour helped in the conduct of the competition.

JD(S) leader attacked for defending Shetty

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : A JD(S) leader belonging to the Muslim community was recently attacked by a few people belonging to his community for the sole reason that the latter spoke defending the district minister at Ullal,while the general feeling among the minority community was that the minister himself was to be blamed for the riots.
Later the matter was settled through talks in the presence of senior leaders of the community after the JD(S) leader apologised for his statement.

Scribes barred entry into Udupi KDP meet

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : The recent action of the Udupi district administration in keeping journalists out of the KDP meeting has raised several doubts. Scribes were given entry to the meeting venue only to take photographs and were kept out of the rest of the proceedings of the meeting. Such a practice which was in vogue when DT Jayakumar was the district minister, now once again re-emerging has raised many a eyrrbow.
The fact remains that scribes were allowed entry into two previous KDP meetings after VS Acharya became the district minister. Now the denial of entry all of a sudden, is nothing but undemocratic, many feel. The meeting attended by all legislators and officials of the district, discusses and reviews developmental issues and projects. Now, the suspicion is whether the district minister chose to disallow scribes solely because that target has not been achieved in various projects.
It is now being said that this might also be a systematic plot of Acharya by colluding with officials just to see to it that the several irregularities exposed in the meet are not placed before the public.
In the meantime, reliable sources have indicated that the recent meeting even discussed the Naxal problem. But the exact reason for keeping out the scribes cannot be ascertained while one contention is that the probe into Naxal related cases may be affected if important details are leaked to the press.
The fact is that the details furnished to the press by the ministers and officials after the meeting, cannot be termed complete in any way.
In the past, scribes were invited to all KDP meetings when Vasanth Salian was the district minister. However, DT Jayakumar who became the next district minister had chosen to keep scribes at bay during one or two meetings and had later permitted scribes following much opposition to his earlier practice.
Such acts on the part of the officials and elected representatives will only force the public to view them with an eye of suspicion.

Why Cong demand for judicial probe into M’lore violence?

MANGALROE : Several leaders including former chief minister Dharam Singh who had been to the city recently to assess the situation arising out of the recent violence, had demanded a judicial probe into the Mangalore violence. This demand by Singh that too when there is a practice in vogue wherein ruling party itself orders for a judicial probe in order to permanently hush up any incident, has raised doubts. The question is if Singh wants a judicial probe just to save the culprits from the noose of law.
There has been no instance in the past wherein any government has initiated action against anyone on the basis of the judicial probe reports. This being the case, the Congress alone has to cite the factorsthat prompted Dharam to demand a judicial probe into the Mangalore violence. But it is an entirely different matter that even the chief minister and the home minister have ruled out a judicial probe into the violence.

Udupi dist admn complex at Manipal at any cost: MLA

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : The Udupi legislator Raghupathi Bhat has said that the Udupi district administration complex would be constructed at the Manipal End Point itself at any cost.
Speaking at a face-to-face meeting organised by the local Consumers’ Forum recently, the legislator said the Manipal Pais have so far not kept up their words to withdaw their writ filed in the High Court against the government proposal to utilise the 31 acre land at the Manipal End Point for the construction of the district administration complex.
Continuing, Bhat said even in case the Pais continued their legal battle, their chances of winning the same are remote and that the public interest would finally be upheld. The complex would definitely come up at Manipal, he added.
Bhat also ralled how the proposal submitted to the government by the deputy commissioner of undivided DK in the year 1994 had mentioned clearly that it would be best to set up the district administration complex of the separated Udupi district in the 32 acre government owned land at Manipal.
"Why is it that this location which was found ideal for the district administration complex 12 years ago, not ideal now ?," Bhat questioned and added no other location in Udupi and its surroundings was ideally suited for the complex. Bhat on this occasion also chose to say that he was a respondent in the case in the High Court and added he was bearing the court expenses from his own pocket.

Hidden agenda behind Shetty’s resignation drama

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : District minister Nagaraj Shetty created a ripple in the BJP recently soon after the city returned to nomalcy, when news of his resignation to his ministership spread like wild fire. But soon everything became crystal clear that all this was mere drama.
The main intention of the resignation drama of Shetty was aimed at shunting the Western Range IGP Satyanarayana Rao from Mangalore, as it was he who had made it inevitable for the erstwile Bunder station inspector Vinay Gaonkar who was transferred to Bangalore to report to duty there itself, not paying heed to Shetty’s appeal to retain Gaonkar in the city.
There remains no doubt that the not so cordial relationship between the IGP and SP Dayanand has virtually split the BJP minister and his legislators with the former wanting the IGP to be shunted while the legislators want the SP out.
While Shetty and the Kalladka high command are mounting pressure for the transfer of the IGP, the Mangalore and Suratkal legislators Yogish Bhat and Krishna Palemar respectively want the SP to be transferred on the grounds that the inaction of the SP and his policy of appeasement of some leaders had led to the escalation of violence in Mangalore.
Reports say the two legislators have also made this point clear to the deputy chief minister Yadiyurappa and home minister MP Prakash during their visit to the cituy recently.
But Shetty’s demand has recieved a setback more so because the IGP is backed by the Udupi district minister VS Acharya and the Pejawar seer Sri Vishwesha Theertha Swamiji.
The district minister Nagaraj Shetty taking cognizance of all these aspects, enacted the resignation drama on the grounds that the home minister MP Prakash during his visit to the city had not taken him into confidence.
Shetty who was very well aware that given the present situation in the district, both the CM and the deputy CM would pressurise him not to resign, on the other hand planned to lay down a condition that the IGP should be transferred. What is noteworthy here that Shetty who tried to project himself as a hero through his resignation drama, actually had not handed over his resignation letter to any one. Sources indicated that he had revealed this to DVS Sadananda Gowda, the state chief of the party who took him to task for the resignation.
But all these developments point towards one fact that it would be either the SP or the IGP who will have to face axe in the aftermath of the Mangalore violence.

‘Let us say no to bundhs’

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : At a district level peace committee meeting that was held in the city recently in the wake of the unprecedented violence that hit various parts of the city and the district, several speakers opined that the district administration should henceforth not allow any organisation to give a call for a bundh.
There was a loud applause in the meeting when Mangalore legislator N Yogish Bhat said that there should be no more bundhs in the district .
Some other leaders demanded a ban on some organisations which are the root casue of communal violence, while there was also a demand to shift the slaughter house at Kudroli that raked up controversies now and then.
District superintendent of police B Dayananda mentioned in the meeting that there were three burning issues, cattle transportation, eve teasing and inter-caste and inter-religion love affairs that many a time snow balled into communal tensions.

HM’s son threatens teacher!

MANGALORE : In a shocking incident reported from Kaniyoor in Belthangady taluk recently, the son of the school headmistress, recently barged into the school and ahused and threatened a teacher of the school when the students were having the mid-day meals. The accused Praveen Pais, son of the headmistress Lancy Nebel Mendonca, abused a physically disabled teacher named HM Nayak, creating a panicky situation in the school for some time.
The school development committee members have lodged a complaint with the Uppinangady police in this regard.

Abhaya shares dais with Bangarappa in Moodbidri!

MOODBIDRI : There have been several instances when our elected representatives have made mountains out of molehillz that too when their names are left out in the invitation cards of inaugurals of government programmes or functions. Many a time, in such cases the programmes have either been cancelled or put off when Protocol has been violated. Abhayachandra Jain, the legislator of Moodbidri is one such leader who on several occasions has remained out of many functions for which he was not invited thinking it did not befit his honour to take part in such government functions.But contradictingly, despite being non-invited he had made it to the Moodbidri Billawa Sangha recently, when the state Samajwadi Party Chief S Bangarappa had visited the Sangha. Abhaya’s visit stunned everyone, as none expected him there. The organisers who at once were confused, finally offered him a seat on the dais and gave their due respect to the local legislator. It is being said that Bangarappa’s visit to the Billawa Sangha was purely personal and aimed at discussing matters pertaining to the development of the organisation . Today, it is not known whether Abhayachandra was invited by any one to the function or he came on his own.
This issue pertaining to Abhaya has turned out to be a hot topic of debate in Billawa circles in Moodbidri.

Daylight robbery by Udupi rly stn auto drivers

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : Several complaints are being heard of late that the autorickshaw drivers near the Udupi railway station at Indrali are virtually fleecing outstation passengers who arrive by train.
There has been an increasing demand to the transport officials to consider this complaint seriously and initiate action against the guilty autorickshaw drivers.
Apart from this, it has even been gathered that some autorickshwaw drivers even misbehave with public . To cite an instance is the case of a person who kanded in Udupi station from Mumbai along with his family recently. This person narrated his bitter experience to this correspondent. The person who arrived at the station at 8 am on a Sunday along with his wife and two year old child, boarded an autorickshaw to go to Kalsanka along with the luggage. When asked the fare, the driver said he would say later on and when they reached the destination, the driver demanded Rs 80 only for the passenger to refuse. The infuriated driver drove the auto back to the station and left the family back. As if this is not suffice, he even asked his fellow drivers not to take the family to Kalsanka and even in case they do they should collect a fare not less than Rs 80.
The family later on after walking for a short distance boarded another autoricksahw to reach Kalsanka while the other driver charged just Rs 40.
Several who have been subject to such sort of harassment by the autorickshaw drivers have urged the authorities to intiate action against the guilty drivers and prevent them from resorting to daylight robbery.

Blast in illegal fire works unit in Puttur kills 5

PUTTUR : Tragedy struck Puttur taluk, just as Deepavali was a few days away, when an explosion that rocked an illegal fire works unit at a place called Buderiya in Kadaba of the taluk killed five people including an infant on the spot. The explosion took place when the fire works were being loaded into an autorickshaw to be transported to some other place.
The killed are Fakira Saheba (55), his son Rafique (22), a neighbour Vijaya Gowda (22)., Dikshit also a neighbour and the autorickshaw driver who is 19 years old. One person named Nanayya Gowda sustained injuries in his leg.
Manufacturing fire works had been the hereditary profession of this family with Fakira Saheb’s father too engaged in the same profession.
Locals say the family used to manufacture fire works, crude bomb, and stone breaking explosives illegally.
The mishap occurred when the manufacturers decided to transport the manufactured produts in an autorickshaw when the police attention was diverted towards the APMC elections being held in the taluk that day.
The magnitude of the explosion was so high that the body of the autorickshaw driver was ripped apart and scattered even upto a distance of 10 meters. The impact of the explosion also left the autorickshaw in pieces.
During the year 2004, one of the persons killed, Rafique, had sustained head injuries. Still the family pursued the same dangerous profession that proved fatal even to two neighbours including a kid.
In the meantime, locals say the police despite being very well aware about the unlicenced manufacture of the fire works and explosives, had however failed to take any action . A thorough probe need to be undertaken into this case.
Case turns mystersious
However, this case is turning more mysterious for the cops who are saying that no licence has been given to anyone in the district to manufacture fire works with licences granted only for sale of the same.
The magnitude of this explosion the sound of which was heard even by people much away from the site of the blast, has also given room for doubts for there are many who argue that this might not be an explosion that caused out of fire works and surely might have been owing to a powerful explosive device.
The district minister Ngaraj Shetty also visited the spot of the mishap and the local legislator Shakuntala Shetty has also assured to raise this case in the assembly.
In the meantime, it has been gathered that no compensation can be granted to any relative of the killed as the explosion had taken place in an illegal unit.

Whither bicycles?

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : One of the ambitious programmes of the state government-of providing bicycles to eighth standard girls belonging to below poverty line families, has virtally turned out to be useless scheme and it may not be wrong to say that the crores of rupees spent on this projct by the government is nothing but a waste of government funds.
Reports as of now say that most of the cycles that have been distributed are in broken condition now. While the spokes of some have been displaced, in some others the handles are bent with shaking seats.
Though the cycles were sanctioned during the summer vacation itself, the authorities couldn’t distribute the same even after a month passed after the reopening of schools. Finally after much pressure, the district minister took steps to distribute the same first in the district level, and then in the village level.
Though as per official estimates 5658 girl students were entitled for the facility, the cycles have still not reached all the identified beneficiaries. However, even the cycles that have already been distributed are now out of shape.
The reason for the same is that within a few days after the cycle distribution, there were the Dasara holidays which meant more cycling time, not for the girls, but for their younger and elder brothers who made good use of the cycles leaving them in a bad state.
Now, mamy of the girls come to school either walking or by bus and if questioned the answer is that the cycle is out of order and that their parents do not have the money to repair the same.
The government’s responsibility is only to provide cycles not pumps and other maintenance charges, say officials. Today, many parents as well as students feel it is better to walk rather than cycle the way to school-for in many rrual areas students will have to pass through fields and small drains and cycling will be utmost difficult here.
Now, it is left to be seen if the government would abandon this scheme and instead take up some other scheme that would be really useful to the student community.

I’m ready for any probe: UT Khader

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : Ullal Youth Congress President UT Khader who has reacted sharply to the recent charges against him by home minister MP Prakash who said that the hands of the Ullal MLA’s son was suspected behind the Ullal violence, has dubbed the charges as politically motivated.
He has even alleged that this was nothing but a conspiracy of the district minister and home minister to tarnish his image unable to digest his popularity and political progress.
He also recalled that the DGP Sial during his visit to the city, when questioned about the allegations had said he was unaware of the same.
Khader has further urged the home minister to make public the source of his information which had not even reached the higher police officials.
He even demanded the Mangalore MP DV Sadananda Gowda who too had accused him of being behind the violence, to demand a judicial probe into the same.
In the meantime, eyewitnesses revealed that when Khader introduced himself as the son of the Ullal MLA to home minister MP Prakash during his recent visit to the city, the latter immediately asked "Is it, how is your father ?" and nothing else .
It has also been gathered that no sooner Khader left the venue some youth Muslim leaders of the JD(S) who had accompanied Prakash told him that the charges against Khader had hurt them as Khader was one among the few who had strived for peace in Ullal.
One or two even reportedly went ahead to say that they don’t need a party which views people of one particular community with suspicion.

Cong snubs BJP leaders for targetting Poojari

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : Allegations and counter-allegations, this has become much more common in the district, particularly after the recent communal violence, with political parties blaming each other for the violence.
Now, it seems it is the turn of the political parties, to blame each other on the compensation issue. The Vittal legislator Padmanabha Kottari and the district BJP secretary, had recently accused the Congress leaders of instigating the violence and had also charged Congress leaders including Rajya Sabha member B Janaradhan Poojari of consoling and provding compensation to victims belonging to the minority community only.
Reacting sharply to this allegation, the Congress spokesperson Harikrishna Bantwal has counter charged the BJP and the Sangh Parivar of patronising communal violence that is proving detrimental to the progress of the district. The police records are ample evidence to this fact, he said.
He made it clear that Poojari had visited nearly 145 houses of riot hit people in Vittal, Ullal and Suratkal assembly cosntituency limits recently and had distributed compensation of Rs 2.90 lakh collected from Congress workers and liberal minded donors.
Dubbing as baseless the allegation that only minority community families have been provided compensatioon, Harikrishna said compensation has been distributed to 64 Hindu famiies, 69 Muslim families and 12 Christians.
The tears of these innocents speak volumes of the turmoil they underwent but did not reveal their communities, Harikrishna said and charged that not even a single BJP leader had come forward to provide compensation to the affected.
He even went on to say that not even a single BJP leader of the district had visited the places visited by Poiari, nor have they the courage to visit those places.
He further warned the BJP that the Congress would not remain silent if the BJP tried to pass the buck on the Congress to hush up its misdeeds.

Court acquits Alevoor Prabhaker Acharya killers

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : The Udupi District and Sessions Court has recently acquitted all the accused in the Udupi jeweller Akevoor Prabhaker Acharya murder case that took place five years ago.
Those acquitted are Sunil alias Dinesh alias Jayananda Ganiga of Manjeshwar, Venkat alias Venkatesh alias Chota alias Vikki of Pune and Sarf alias Sarfaraz of Udupi Kodavoor.
There are three more accused in this case. While two of them Yogish Nayak and Krishna K Kunder had died, another accused Vishwanath Shetty of Karkala Bailoor is absconding.
Acharya was murdered at the Mangala Jewellers near the Udupi city bus stand on May 17, 2001 with the then circle inspector GA Jagadish arresting the accused. The court has now released them on the grounds that the prosecution has failed to prove the charges against them.
It may be recalled here that the murder had sent shock waves all over the town with even a protest held demanding the arrest of the killers.

Woman ends life with kid

BELTHANGADY : In a tragic incident reported from Dharmasthala, a woman committed suicide by consuming poison after administering the same to her two sons.
While the mother and one of her sons died another boy of seven years has survived.
The exact cause of the suicide is not known though neighbours say the woman and her husband had some difference over some issue.
The deceased is Vijaya (32), wife of one Anand Gowda of Dharmasthala and her son Abhijith (4).Another son Abhishekh is recovering in the hospital.
The deceased woman was quite well known in the locality and had also served as honorary teacher in a Dharmasthala school for some time, while her husband Anand is an electrician. Reprots indicate that the woman had given two miss calls to her husband’s mobile before taking the extreme step.
Belthangady police are conducting the investigations.

I’m ready for any probe: UT Khader

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : Ullal Youth Congress President UT Khader who has reacted sharply to the recent charges against him by home minister MP Prakash who said that the hands of the Ullal MLA’s son was suspected behind the Ullal violence, has dubbed the charges as politically motivated.
He has even alleged that this was nothing but a conspiracy of the district minister and home minister to tarnish his image unable to digest his popularity and political progress.
He also recalled that the DGP Sial during his visit to the city, when questioned about the allegations had said he was unaware of the same.
Khader has further urged the home minister to make public the source of his information which had not even reached the higher police officials.
He even demanded the Mangalore MP DV Sadananda Gowda who too had accused him of being behind the violence, to demand a judicial probe into the same.
In the meantime, eyewitnesses revealed that when Khader introduced himself as the son of the Ullal MLA to home minister MP Prakash during his recent visit to the city, the latter immediately asked "Is it, how is your father ?" and nothing else .
It has also been gathered that no sooner Khader left the venue some youth Muslim leaders of the JD(S) who had accompanied Prakash told him that the charges against Khader had hurt them as Khader was one among the few who had strived for peace in Ullal.
One or two even reportedly went ahead to say that they don’t need a party which views people of one particular community with suspicion.

JD(S) dissidence in levelling charges too!

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : Dissidence seems to be a god given gift (?) to the Janata Dal (Secular) and this dissidence follows the party like its shadow wherever it goes.
Dissidence did not spare the party even in matters relating to the recent communal violnce that rocked the city. Recently, the JD(S) district president Vasanth Bangera had convened a press meet to blame the district minister Nagaraj Shetty for the recent violence and also for instigating violence.
But what was noticed was that another leader of the party, Amarnath Shetty was seen behind Nagaraj Shetty all the time recently. Amarnath Shetty did not mention anywhere of the district minister’s role in the violence. Does it mean or does his silence mean that he backs the district minister ?.
But, Vasanth Bangera has turned up against Nagaraj Shetty and his charges would definitely land the coalition government in a piquant situation.
However, this is not the first time that Bangera has voiced his opinion against the BJP or a BJP leader. Once earlier, he had even backed the Congress in the ZP elections. In Mangalore taluk panchayat however, Amarnath Shetty had backed the BJP.
As at present, the JD(S) has no much strength in the district. On the other hand, chief minister Kumaraswamy has the fear that Bangera may even join the Congress in case he asks him to snap ties with the Congress. Now, by blaming Shetty for the violence, Bangera is once again in the news. He has even stressed the need for a coordination committee between the two parties in the district as done at the state level. This suggestion, it is believed, aimed at creating problems for Amarnath Shetty.
This latest incident only proves that dissidence does not spare JD(S) at any point of time, be it any matter.

Poojari for mayoral post to Billawa or Christian eve

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : Rajya Sabha Member and former KPCC president B Janardhan Poojari is in favour of granting the mayoral post this time to either a Billawa or Christian candidate who has so far not enjoyed any post or position in the party.
This was made clear by Poojari at a corporators’ meeting convened by him in the city recently to discuss the mayoral election issue.
As the tenure of the next mayor would also be less, Poojari is said to have appealed to all corporators to cooperate with him.
This latest indication from Poojari has proved a setback to Surekha Rai, corporator of Kannur ward and a loyalist of DCC in-charge Ramanatha Rai, who was one of the aspirants for the top post.
On the other hand, the chances of Sesamma of Alape ward and Jecintha Vijay Alfred of Milagres award seem to be bright now.
In the meantime, Vijaya Arun, who had moved the court on the reservation issue and has now been successful in getting a favourable verdict, stands to lose this time as chances of her securing the post are remote as she has already occupied standing committee presidentship twice. Already, leaders are learnt to have made it clear to Vijaya Arun that it be better for her to forget the fruits of her labour. Moreover, many leaders in the Congress also say that Vijaya Arun’s moving the court in a hurry resulted in wastage of valuable time, as leaders were planning to have a lady itself as the next mayor.
So far during the present Congress tenure in MCC, no Christian or Billawa candidate had been accorded the post of mayor.
The Poojari convened meeting was attended by 75 per cent of the party corporators while the rest are identified with the other factions. The government has already issued a notification for the mayoral polls which are likely to be held by the month end.

Now, it’s computer scam in Udupi TP

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : A major computer scam has been reported from the Udupi taluk panchayat. More skeletons are now likely to roll down the taluk panchayat cupboards with reports saying that several members have pocketed substantial amount in the process.
As per the scheme, the computers are to be distributed to various gram panchayats with the help of funds sanctioned from the 12th finance commission. Already computers have been distributed to 33 gram panchayats out of the selected 180 gram panchayats. What is surprising is that the the entire process has been undertaken without any invitation of tenders and the task assigned to a private party.
What has been gathered is that though the computers were priced at Rs 35,000 to Rs 45,000, official records mentioned the prices as high as Rs 74000, naturally giving way for irregularities.
As per official estimate, a sum of Rs 1.35 crore was needed to distribute computers to the 180 gram panchayats in the district. But, investigations now prove that such a huge amount was unnecessary and that this was just a ploy of some members to pocket the excess of nearly Rs 61 lakh.
On the other hand, the Karkala taluk panchayat has cancelled this project for the reason that the computer cost was high while the scheme has met with the same fate in Kundapur too.
Now, the complaint is that the Udupi taluk panchayat administration was implementing this project merely with an intention of misusing funds.
Even the BJP, the main opposition party in the panchayat has remained mum on the issue giving roon for suspicion as to whether the BJP members too had colluded in this irregularity.
There is a need for a thorough probe to bring out the facts in this case.

Shetty behind transfer of police inspectors!

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : It has come to light of late that the district minister Nagaraj Shetty was behind the recent transfers of the Panambur inspector Kodandarama and Mulki inspector Mathew Thomas. As if this is not suffice, the minister is also learnt to have seen to it that the two officers were not shown any other post thus depriving them of work, pay and other facilities. The reason for the punishment - the honesty of the two police officials.
Reports said the in-charge minister was spitting venom against the two officials who had not heeded to his words. Sources indicated that the two police officers had not bothered to yield to the minor demands of the minister with regard to booking of cases or freeing of any prisoner and were instead going by the rule book. The minister who could not tolerate this indiscipline (?) got the two officers transferred, reports say.
The background
It was the time of the zilla panchayat elections last year. The Congress candidate Krisha Amin was inside the polling booth. When some BJP men tried to get inside along with Nagaraj Shetty who was then just a legislator, they were prevented from going inside by the then Panambur inspector Kodandarama. This incident remained afresh in Shetty’s mind even when he became the minister. When there was change of guard in the state and Shetty became the district minister, he took the opportunity to teach Kodandarama a lesson. Krishna Palemar did object and even appealed to deputy CM to stall the transfer and so the transfer was cancelled. When Kodandarama had once personally met Shetty, the latter reminded the officer of the past incident. However, an undeterred Kodandarama defended himself saying there would have been a murder and the minister would have been booked had he not interfered. But, this only further infuriated Shetty who finally saw to it that Kodandrama was transferred.
When Mathew Thomas was the Mulki inspector, there had taken place a incident near the Pavanje bridge wherein an attempt was made by Hindu activists to torch a vehicle transporting cattle and also to attack the people inside.
When the inspector had spread a dragnet to nab the accused, Shetty reportedly came in his way.
But, Thomas arrested the accused and produced them before the court. Thus, even Thomas met the same fate as that of Kodandarama.
Now, it has remained no secret that the district in-charge was having his way in posting officials in locations best suited for him, as per the dictates of the Kalladka high command.
On the other hand, it has even been gathered that Shetty since long had been mounting pressure on the Ullal inspector Jayanth Shetty to book Ullal’s ‘in-charge’ legislator UT Khader. But Shetty too turned his back to Nagaraj saying he cannot book cases against anyone unnecessarily as particularly Khader striving to maintain peace.
Thus, Shetty’s interference in the police department is on unhindered much to the disgust of police officials.

Udupi DC convenes Suzlon meet discretely

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : In a surprising development, the Udupi deputy commissioner Ponnuraju is learnt to have convened a meeting of the committee formed to fix the value of the lands to be acquired for the project, in a hush hush manner without even intimating the journalists .
The closed door meeting was attended among others by the assistant commissoner and Suzlon and KIADB officials. While the meeting of evacees of Nandikur and Phalimar was held in the morning, the meeting of the affected people of Nadsalu and Hejamady villages was held in the afternoon with scribes disallowed for both the meetings, thus revealing the extent of transparency maintained by the authorities as far as this project is concerned. The Suzlon which aims at manufacturing spare parts of wind mills has already submitted a proposal to the KIDBI to sanction 1200 acres of land. Of this 500 acres of land has been identified in the first phase in which nearly 29 families will have to be evacuated.

K S Rao Road builders sidestep HC fiat

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : The High Court order to initiate action against the builders of a multi-storied construction on KS Rao Road in the city in place of the erstwhile Hotel Woodside in the city, has failed to yield any result with the city corporation not initiating nay action until now.
Though the builders, succumbing to pressure from different corners, had raised a protective wall atop the hill, still Dr T Jagadish, chairman of the local Apartment Owners’ Association and members Balakrishna Shetty, Geeta Pai and Dr Vinaya Poornima had filed a public interest litigation in the High Court.
The High Court which took up the case for hearing in its order dated 19-8-2006, had directed that the builders had to adhere to the consturction norms.
The High Court in its ruling had also stated that the city corporation had no reason to tolerate the violation of the rule and in case the corporation failed to iniaite action, they could also lodge a petition in the civil court.
In the meantime, the petitioners have said the city corporation has preferred to go against the HC directive and are now waiting for another order from the civil court.

Minister’s midnight highway inspection raises queries

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : The recent midnight inspection of the sorry state of highways by the district in-charge minister Nagaraj Shetty along with deputy commissioner Maheshwar Rao, that too in a hush hush manner, somehow had reached the newspapers.
It is not known why the minister chose a midnight inspection of the highways. The general opinoon may be that the minister had resorted to such a step unable to face the public if at all he made a day time inspection.
Shetty ought to admit the fact that he is unable to face the public. The reason being that he who at first issued a 72 hour deadline to repair the roads , however did not bother much when his orders went unheeded, however chose a highwy inspection when his own party legislators in Mangalore and Suratkal made a demand for highway repair.
What has now been construed is that the minister who is moving heaven and earth to prove that the highway repair was the sole responsibility of the union government ,did not prefer a day time inspection. If at all the inspection was done during day time, then the minister might have feared that people may learn that even the state government had a responsibilty of highway management.
If the state government had no responsbiilty in this regard, then the need for Shetty to inspect the highway along with the DC would not have arisen. Then how did the minister issue a 72 -hour dead line to the officials to repair the highways at the KDP meeting recently ?.
Why did the deputy chief minister BS Yadiyurappa during hsi recent visit to the city say that funds would be released for highway repair immediately and that the funds would be adjusted in the central grants to the state government ?.
The fact however remains that both the state as well as the union governments have the responsibility of maintaining the highways with neither the Congress government at the Centre nor the BJP-JD(S) government in the state ready to admit the same.
While the Congress stages protest against the bad highways one day, the BJP follows suit another day and all this is nothing but petty politics.
The politicians can feel the heat only when the public take up cudgels and gherao the legislators and ministers whenever they appear in public. May be such a step may prevent the political leaders from shying away from their responsibilities.

NH repair by Oct end: officials

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : The National Highway Authorities have now assured to complete the repair works on the NH 17 and 48 by October end no sooner the neceessary equipment arrives.
Giving explanation for the inordinate delay in the highway repair, the officials of the Authority attributed the same to the delay in arrival of machinery and the incessant rains that lashed the region.
The repair works would be undertaken on the 37 km stretch of road from Mukka to BC Road and already the initial works have begun, the officials said adding the bitumen would have a longer lifespan if applied on a dry area.
The Authority sources while stating that the Authority was facing paucity of funds for the highway maintenance, added that the local administration which had failed to extend cooperation during the highway widening proposal last year, wasnow opposing the inordinate delay in the repair works, just as a part of a political ploy.

Shetty behind Malli’s appointment to INTUC

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : The appointment of notorious rowdy and a former student union leader Rakesh Malli, as the district vice president of the INTUC, has revealed an interesting piece of news that it was district minister B Nagaraj Shetty who was behind Malli’s appointment.
In the meantime, it remains no secret that both Malli and Shetty have proximity while Malli and the former minister Ramanatha Rai are not in good terms.
Malli despite being in the Congress had worked against Rai during the last elections in Bantwal and had thus indirectly assisted in Shetty’s victory.
Shetty who has been in search of an able candidate since long to fight Rai within the Congress, found the right man in Rakesh Malli and if sources are to be believed, it was Shetty who secured the district vice presidentship of INTUC to Malli through the state INTUC chief NM Adyantaya.
Now, it seems, the stage is set for Malli to fight Rai within the party rather than being outside it. One part of the anti-Rai strategy was for Malli to strive towards strengthening the party thus creating embarrassing moments for Rai.
In fact Malli had received much exposure through media ads no sooner he was appointed to INTUC. Now, he is slowly moving towards the direction of shedding his rowdy image with due patronage of Nagaraj Shetty.
Rakesh Malli, a former student union leader, was labelled a rowdy after his underworld links were exposed. Though he now wants to be identified as a businessman, it is difficult for people to forget his past.

Land grab bid by Dalit leader?

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : A team of police officials including Panambur DySP Peetambar Heraje, Circle inspector Jayanth Shetty and SI AD Nagaraj which investigated into a case of a suspected land grab by a Dalit leader Lolaksha, has directed the victim in this case to lodge a civil suit.
This case is pertaining to the land worth crores of rupees belonging to an aged man named Taniya at Nadupadavu near Konaje, and the reported attempt to grab the same, by a Dalit leader named Lolaksha.
At a hearing in this case held recently in the presence of senior officials, as per the direction of the SP, Taniya revealed that as he owned the land he had the right to sell it and was selling it at his will.
However, another complainant Karunaker and others contended tha as per the 1967 Act, land sanctioned to the Dalits by the government could not be sold. He also stated that the land had been sanctioned to the beneficiary in the year 1969.
The Dalit leader who was also present during the hearing said there could be no objection to secure power of attorney of this government sanctioned land.
The DySP who took cognizance of all documents, came to the conclusion that the case was of civil nature and directed the complainants to lodge a petition in the court.
Earlier, Karunaker and others who were taking care of Taniya had complained to the Konaje station against Lolakssha charging him of land grab by planning to avail loans afer securing power of attorney of Taniya’s land.
When a complaint with the Konaje police did not yield any result,a complaint was made to the SP anf DC and as per the SP’s directive, the DySP led team had conducted the investigation.

Disproportionate income of cops: who will bell the cat?

By CT reporter
MANGALORE :‘Police raid live bands, video game centres, recreation clubs, prostitution dens ; several arrests made, goods seized. ‘ Such news are common in our newspapers almost daily.
But what about the cops who conduct such raids on illegal dens ? What about the assets disproportionate to their incomes, which they own ? Who will conduct raids and seize them and who will punish them ? These questions definitely remain unanswered.
Today, the situation is such that majority of police personnel in the district, barring a few honest ones, have assets disproportionate to their income, right from head constables to senior officials.
There are some who have constructed houses and commercial complexes within just one or two years of their joining service. Still others have invested funds in finance and other businesses while some have opted for lending business too.
Definitely, all this cannot be done solely from the salary which the government provides them. Some officials have even raised houses costing Rs 10 to 20 lakh.
No one in our society, musters courage to question the source of income of these officials. It is now left for the Lokayukta police to conduct raids on the residences of corrupt officials. However, there seems to be a remote chance in this direction with the present Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde, wiling away time merely in appeasing those at the helm of affairs instead of trying to wage a war against corruption. When this is the case, how can he instill confidence in district Lokayukta officials to conduct raids ?
The Bunder circle inspector Vinay Gaonkar who recently faced suspension is just one example. He who was a honest officer in the beginning, later resorted to ‘dealing’ in every case making enough money in the process, so say several.
To cite another instance, it has been just eight to nine years since Venkatesh Prasanna, the erstwhile Pandeshwar circle inspector who is now serving in Mulki, joined service. As per the report provided to a petitioner Prakash Bhat of Kodialbail by the SP as per the Karnataka Right to Information Act, the inspector owned assets worth Rs 29,14,328.There still remains several more years of service in the department to this officer and it may not be a surprise if his assets cross several crores, when he retires.
It is in this fashion that police personnel amass wealth with the passing of each day and it is only action against such corrupt officers, that may be an eye opener for others or else, corruption would spread its tentacles far and wide.

Chaos at Suzlon meet

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : A meeting of Suzlon evacuees held at Brahmagiri Lions Bhavan recently, to fix the value of the land acquired by the firm, ended in utter confusion and chaos failing to come to any definite conclusion. The meeting was jointly convened by Suzlon and the district administration.
Participants in the meeting made a unanimous demand that they are not ready to fix the land rate unless and until rehabilitation arrangements are made for the families letting their lands for the project.
The evacuees were furthermorre agitated when deputy commissioner Ponnuraju said no job assurance can be given to the families of evacuees. They took the Suzlon officer Aleen and the DC to task questioning how the company could go back on its words when it had promised jobs to the families of evaucees and termed this as nothing but a ploy to give jobs to outsiders.
The evacuees also raised strong objections to fix the land value on the basis of the denotification of the land 20 years ago. Even their demand to fix the land value at existing rates was turned down by the DC saying rules did not permit the same.
When the district minister VS Acharya present in the meeting said the project would be implemented after providing all information to the evacuees, the people said they did not have any faith in the minister who they said backed Nagarjuna against public interest.
The meeting in fact was held discretely with no intimation to pressmen about the same making clear the extent of transparency that would be maintained with regard to the proposed project.
Raghupathi Bhat, MLA of Udupi, Manorama Madhwaraj, Udupi MP, Katapady Shanker Poojari, Taluk Panchayat member and others attended the meeting.

Lokayukta Santosh Hegde disillusions masses

The lacklustre and totally unimpressive performance of the institution of Lokayukta ever since Justice Santosh Hegde took charge as the new Lokayukta chief, has given rise to the question as to whether justice Hegde who retired after being a very good, able and efficient Supreme Court judge, had erred by agreeing to be the Lokayukta.
Today the general feeling is that Justice Hegde has not been able to fill the void created in the Lokayukta after the retirement of Justice Venkatachala as its chief. When compared the pro-active style of functioning of the erstwhile Lokayukta , Justice Hegde’s style is far from satisfactory. This in turn has proved to be a matter of greathappiness for the corrupt bureaucracy. The expectations of the people from Justice Hegde that he would weed out corruption that has made deep inroads into our administrative machinery, by continuing the historic works undertaken by Justice Venkatachala, will never be realised when considered from any angle.
Even if we are liberal enough to conclude that the style of functioning of different people are different, the style of functioning of Justice Hegde does not befit that of the institution of the Lokayukta. Justice Hegde who on knowing public opinoon about him through the media, should have at least tried to live upto the expectations of the masses.
The reality is that Justice Hegde is a much softer personality for the Lokayukta post which requires him to do police work of tracing thieves.
There is no denying that he has done his job well as a Supreme Court Judge. But definitely a scholarly man like Hegde may not be able to trap the thick skinned people who are practising corruption in our government offices.
Compared to Justice Venkatachala who used to trap corrupt government staff red handed and then parade them before television cameras, the academic jugglary of Santosh Hegde in conducting an enquiry after accepting petitions from public in government offices, can no where be effective to root out the menace.
The present style of functioning of Justice Hegde can never free our state from the tag of being the number one corrupt state in the whole of the nation.
The institution of Lokayukta can achieve just nothing, unless and until the trapped corrupt officials are interrogated on the spot and are given suspension order on the spot or within a week or two. Prior to Justice Hegde’s appointment as Lokayukta, chief minister Kumaraswamy, on the proposal to delegate more powers to the Lokayukta had said ‘ why are we present if all powers are delegated to the Lokayukta ?’ This answer revealed his wish to shield corrupt officials. The chief minister will surely not agree with Justice Hegde’s request to delegate more powers to the Lokayukta to ensure early legal action against corrupt officials. The chief minister only wanted a Lokayukta chief who would break his head over rules and procedures and would not cross the Lakshman Rekha drawn by him. Thus Justice Hegde has lived upto his expectations.
Therefre, it can very well be construed that the chief minister is happy with Santosh Hegde. Even Justice Hegde might be indebted to the state government for offering him a plump post after retirement.
The Lokayukta and the deputy Lokayukta should continue raids on government offices and should announce action against corrupt officials who are trapped red handed. This is the request of the people to Justice Hegde. If Hegde fails to do this work, then his continuing in the post would serve no purpose.
Hegde who only reiterates the already known fact that there is a need for public awareness to root out corruption, has said that he aims at enlightening the youngsters tin schools and colleges on the evil of corruption.
Through his statement, Hegde has made clear that he has in his mind the agenda of lecturing on corruption in educational institutions.
Therefore, it would be better for the government to depute him as lecturer of corruption and dissolve the Lokayukta or else appoint someone of the calibre and capacity of Venkatachala to the post.
If the government fails to delegate more powers to the Lokayukta, then the very presence of the Lokayukta would be useless as it would be merely a body that would be a burden on the state exchequer. Let the government take steps at the earliest to appoint the right man for the Lokayukta.

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Muslims sore over minority panel chief: JD(S)

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : The Muslim community in Dakshina Kannada district is sore over the State Minorities Commission chairman Mohammad Masood, who, they say by remaining mum on the increasing atrocities on the minority community in the district ever since the BJP-JD(S) combine government has come to power, has only tried to retain his chair.
Complaints are also heard from Muslims that Masood as chairman of the commission, has failed to do anything concrete for the welfare of the minorities, and instead by convening meetings just to gain media publicity, has only tried to project himself as a saviour of minorities and as a Muslim leader.
It is also being said that he has failed to take any action in case of atrocities on minorities and Christians, the net result of which is that the minority community members were leading life amid fears.
Instead of solving the problems of the minorities, the Commission chairman was only trying to gain undue media publicity for his own selfish gains, Muslims complain.
It may be recalled here that Masood was made the commission chairman during the SM Krishna regime. He continued in the same position even during Dharam tenure. When he was silent then, it was believed that he did so as he could not raise voice against his own party government. Now, with a BJP-JD(S) government in power in the state it is not known as to what was refraining Masood from initiating any action or raising his voice.
Masood who had first made a backdoor entry into the Muslim Central Committee, with an eye on the commission post, later, on attaining the new post, failed to rejuvenate the committee.
Masood’s silence when the prime accused in the case wherein a father and son were stripped in Udupi, was nominated member of the Udupi TMC, raised many a eyebrow.
Masood has also remained tight lipped on the CM’s madrasa statement, Kudroli slaughter house row, Vande Mataram row and the anti-Tipu statement of DH Shankerurthi.
In the meantime, reports say of Masood moving the High Court seeking extension of his tenure. After all what does this signify ?. Is his interest solely in attaining power and not protecting the interests of the minorities ?, many question.
Muslims also
unhappy with JD(S)
Masood is not the onlg one who is facing he ire of the Muslim community of the district. Even chief minster Kumaraswamy falls in the list following his recent controversial remarks on madrasas.
Today Muslims are angry with the JD(S) too.The Muslim members in the Janata Dal(S) are no longer interested in serving the party and are slowly drifting apart.
Though Janata Dal (S) has not gained a significant strength in the district, in places where it has made its presence felt like Ullal, Vittal and Belthangady, several Muslims are in the party and have occupied different posts.
In fact JD(S) was an option for the Muslims whenever they were disgruntled with the Congress. But, now the CM’s statement has proved a major jolt to them and even the explanations and clarificiations seem not to have changed their stance.
In toto, it can be said that the CM’s statement on Madrasas has dealt a severe blow on the party in the district.

Cops disinterested in probing Hitendra murder?

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : In an alarming development, it has been learnt that the Udupi police are showing disinterest in busting the mystery behind the murder of Udupi’s notorious criminal and blackmail journalist Hitendra Prasad. The main reason for this concern is the inordinate delay in subjecting the prime accused Pitti Nagesh to a lie detector test.
Though senior officials have recommended such a test, police officials who are in the probing team have come to the conclusion that such a test was not needed.
The main reason for their disinterest is the fact that subjecting Nagesh to such a test would only expose the links between some cops and criminal elelemts.
Apart from this, even some businessmen who might have played a role in the Hittendra murder, do not want such a test for fear of exposure.
In the meantime, some forces behind the murder are spreading rumours that there would be another murder and so on just to divert police attention and to avert any chances of the police needle of suspicion pointing towards them.
At present, there is also a general feeling that it would be more apt to hand over the case to the CoD for a thorough investigation.

CM orders probe into charges against Kiran Acharya

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : In a highly significant development, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy has recently directed the Udupi deputy commissioner Ponnuraju to probe into the allegations against Dr Kiran Acharya, the son of the Udupi district minister VS Acharya, and then initiate suitable action.
It may be recalled here that about three months ago, Kiran Acharya was charged with attacking and snatching the cameras of two pressmen Umesh Maripalla and Shijith. Earlier, the Karnataka Janapara Vedike had lodged a complaint with the chief minister drawing his attention towards the case and also demanding action from the Manipal police against Acharya.
The reply letter received from the CM’s office to the Vedike has mentioned about the CM’s order.
It is a fact that the Manipal police have been dilly dallying to arrest Kiran Acharya even though it has been over two months since the incident took place.

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VSA Violates Protocol

It has been reliably learnt that the Udupi district in-charge minister and state minister for medical education has violated the government Protocol.
It has now been complained that VS Acharya who was a trustee on the management board of the Kadiyali Mahishamardini Temple though government rules do not permit legislators to be trustees of temples, was on the other hand deliberately neglecting two other trustees of the temple.
It has been gathered that these two trustees, one a lady trustee and the other belonging to backward class, though were elected unopposed as per the religious and endowment act, by the department itself, were totally neglected. Reports also say that the two trustees were also kept out of all temple functions by not extending any invitation, at the behest of the minister using his influence, thus violating the Protocol.
Not only that, it is learnt, Acharya by being the president of the Katyayini Mantap pertaining to the Kadiyali Temple, was also reaping profit from the incomeof the Mantap, several devotees complain.

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Kashi Mutt row hots up: Sr seer’s banner damaged

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : The simmering differences between the followers of the senior and junior swamijis of the prestigious Kashi Mutt Samsthan of the GSB community, resurfaced recently following the damage made to the banners depicting the senior swamiji, by some miscreants .
Police have arrested one person named Nagaraj Bhandari in this connection. Another case of threatening has also been lodged against the accused who reportedy threatened two others who saw him commit the act of damaging the banner.
The accused, it has been gathered, has identified himself with the faction loyal to the junior seer Sri Raghavendra Theertha.
This recent incident caused tense moments in the Carstreet area for some time with devotees gathering in front of the Temple.
The banner, it is learnt, was pertaining to the Sahasra Poorna Chandra Mahotsava of the seer, to be held in the month of November at Konchady Kashi Mutt. Complaints are heard of late that the damage to the banner only aimed at resorting to a malicious propaganda against the seer’s proposed programme.

Political twists to protests against bad roads

MANGALORE : The recent protests staged by political parties against the utterly miserable condition of the roads of the city and its outskirts is taking politcial twists with the passing of each day with the leaders resorting to mud-slinging instead of diverting attention to the pressing problem of bad roads.
The first of the series of protests against the bad roads from Kottar Chowki to Mulki, was led by the district Congress vice president Ivan D’Souza. A padayatra was taken out from Kottara Chowki to Mulki, participated by some politicalleaders and leaders of bus operators’ associations.Though buses on the route were off the road that particular day and the bundh was almost successful, it is widely believed that Ivan failed to take political advantage of the same, the main reason being that the number of Ivan’s opponents was increasing within his party with the passing of each day.
Ivan who until recently was in JD(S) and its various organisations, joined the Congress all of a sudden and even became its district vice president. But, the fact remains that there are several veteran leaders in the Congress who are trying to pull his legs to the maximm.
As if to counter the Ivan sponsored protest, the BJP called for a Highway bundh within a few days. But, the tragedy was that this bundh call evoked very poor response with complaints coming in that the BJP agitators resorted to a forceful bundh. Still, the BJP men who took part chose to blame the former Suratkal legislator Vijay Kumar Shetty and the union government for the bad state of the highway.
Amidst these even the protest against the sorry state of the Padil-Bajal road has led to protests that took political twists. The road form Padil-Bajal, Veeranagar, Faisalnagar,Jalligudde and Pakkaladka are in a bad state since the past two years with most of the areas coming under Suratkal assembly cosntituency.
When Vijaykumar Shetty of the Congress was the Suratkal legislator, the BJP men led by Kumble Sunder Rao had staged protest and had vowed to repair the road if Kumble was elected MLA. Kumble was later on elected but nothing happened, and the Congress followed the BJP footsteps in protesting against the bad roads.
Later, again Shetty became the MLA and it was the same old story. During Shetty’s tenure, J Krishna Palemar had visited the area and had promised to repair the road using his own funds, if elected MLA. But, even after years of becoming an MLA there has been no change in the condition of the road.
Recently, the locals decided to protest and staged an agitation that was even backed by the Sri Rama Sene, and restricted movement of buses on the route. The Congress and the BJP remained silent spectators to this protest.
Even the residents of Malemar area near Derebail Konchady staged a protest for the same reason recently. The roads of this residential area are in a very bad state making it difficlt for the two route no 60 buses operating on the route and the buses had even refrained from plying on this road after the recent heavy downpour. The residents staged a protest demanding early repair of the road and also to reintroduce bus service on the route.
On the other hand, residents of Bikarnakatta in the outskirts of the city also recently staged a rasta roko against the unmotoable condition of the local roads.
Many of the roads in the city are no different from the highways as far as their condition siconcenred. While the Centre is blamed for the bad highways, the Mangalore city corporation is solely responsible for the poor condition of the city roads. The city mayor Ashraf who has glued to power even after his tenure has expired, courtesy the row over mayoral elections, has failed to discharge his duties effectively, as far as the roads are concerned.
Record books say the Mangalore city corporation releases nearly Rs one crore every year for repair of roads in various of its wards. But, God knows where the funds go. One main reason for the miserable roads of the city is the indiscriminate digging and laying of trenches by the BSNL as well as private telecom companies for laying of cables.
As if this is not suffice, roads are dug for water pipe laying works and so on. The dug up portion is filled with mud and no step taken to bitumenise that portion. Even the contractor-corporator nexus has contributed to the bad roads.
Tbough rules make it mandatory for telecom companies to bring the roads back to their original position no sooner the works are over, however do not discharge their duties, resulting in bad roads.
Almost every road has been repaired in records and every road sees bitumen at least once in a year. But, where does that go ? It gets washed away in the initial rain itself, making everything crystal clear needing no further explanation.
It is now left to be seen if at all these protests would have any bearing on our authorities.

Safety pins -eves’ new self-defence mechanism in city buses!

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : Women, particularly young ladies are subject to much harassment in city buses, particularly in the crowded buses during peak hours in mornings and evenings. The women have to endure a great deal of torture in the process and there are many who suffer silently. But, young ladies travelling on the route number 42 bus operating on the Talapdy-Mangalore route, have preferred to be up in arms against the harassment in city buses. They are using safety pins as a weapon to fight harassers.
Most of the buses on this route are jam packed almost during all the trips and some youth taking advantage of the situation were harasisng young ladies travelling in the buses,
Recently, the bus was not that full and many men were seen standing in the front portion of the bus. Even the directive of the conductor to move behind failed to yield result and suddenly there was a scream in the bus and when everyfffone turned towards the way from where the scream was heard, a young lady was seen slapping a youth. The bus stopped and the youth silently walked out without uttering a word.
Later, on enquiry, it came to light that the youth had harassed the young lady who had used the safty pin weapon making him scream.
This incident has turned to be an eye-opener for several young ladies subject to harassment in city buses and reports say several of them are now having safety pins handy in their purses, to use in case of such an emergency. It is now believed that this latest self-defence mechanism opted by the young ladies would definitely refrain youth from resorting to eve-teasing and harassing women in buses.

Environment ministryofficer filed false report on Nagarjuna: Samithi

From our Udupi office
UDUPI : The Nandikur Jana Jagrithi Samithi has revealed a startling information that one AB Harapanahalli, the Bangalore unit officer of the union environment ministry, in his report submitted to the Centre in December 2004, has informed that buildings and roads pertaining to the Nagarjuna power project had been constructed in Ellur village prior to 2003 itself.
The Samithi in a press communique has said that the officer had filed the false report for his own gains though no works pertaining to Nagarjuna were undertaken then.
The Samithi said as per the false report of the officer, the buildings and roads pertaining to Nagarjuna had come up in survey number 253/5A in Ellur village prior to 2003 while the fact is that no land in Ellur had been handed over to the company until 2004 end. Not only that even Nagarjuna company had not remitted even a single penny to the KIADB, by then.
Though the company ought to have remitted Rs 30 crores towards the land for the project, it had remitted only Rs 1.52 crores for the first time on 11-4-2004.
The land mentioned in the report, pertaining to survey number 253 /5A was secured from its owner Irene Soans through an agreement by the KIADB only in December 2004, the Samithi stated. The Samithi further said the report mentioned that it had been filed with due support of the Nagarjuna company general manager Balachandra.

Cold war between KFD-SSF

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : A cold war has now begun between two Muslim organisatioms namely the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) and Sunni Students’ Federation (SSF).
If reports are to be believed, SSF has suffered a major blow ever since the KFD came into existence. The SSF leaders who in turn have taken serious cognizance of the forming of the KFD, are issuing instructions to their workers against identifying themselves with the KFD.
Even the joining of a large number of youth to the KDF has proved a major head ache to SSF leaders who now fear that the strength of the SSF would decline if this was allowed to continue and have even warned their activists against joining KDF by putting forth certain issues.
As far as Karnataka is concerned, SSF is a major organisation of Sunnis. It has also played a major role in spreading religious values and in improving ethical standards of members of the community. Its only drawback however is that it belonged to one faction of the Muslim community. Another organisation of Sunnis namely SKSSF has also come into existence. But, the latter has not made is presence that felt as the SSF.
At the recently convened protest rally by the KDF against the CM’s statement on madrasas, though the KFD had invited SSF leaders, none had participated proving the prevalence of a veiled cold war betwen the two organisations.
Amidst these developments, the Salafi organisation which is dead against the SSF is also against KFD. Even the leaders of Salafi organisations who were invited for the protest had abstained. In fact in the initial stages, whenever there was any case of oppression of minorities, the DYFI came to their rescue first, thereby encouraging many Muslims to join the oganisation. But ever since the KFD came into existence, Muslim youth have been attracted towards it.
In the meantime, in another development, the DYFI which has charged that the KFD activities gave room for suspicion has demanded outlawing of the same. At the same time while Muslims are supporting the KFD there is also opposition to the same in some corners. Now, it is left to be seen where all these developments would lead the KFD towards.