The new adage of coastal Karnataka is that only a dead body gets MP Shobha Karandlaje’s attention. A dead body is found somewhere, and she makes her presence felt. This fact is now well known to media and commoners alike. She is famous to have included the names of those alive too, to the ‘dead Hindus’ list and had demanded an NIA investigation on the matter. She had tried to ensure more dead bodies fell in Karwar following the mysterious death of a person who met his end by drowning.
She had almost forgotten Udupi after she was elected as an MP. But now, she is seen actively meddling with the affairs of the region, joining hands with the leaders of the area. This time, however, there has been no murder whatsoever. Instead, some Sangh Parivar members and police have been arrested in connection with the murder of cattle trader Hussainabba.
Having taken to streets demanding the arrest of culprits in all other deaths in the past, Shobha is now on the streets again, protesting against the arrest of the accused in this case, in Udupi.
People’s representatives should not stand for only one community. In a democratic set up, they need to stand for everyone, across caste-creed-race-gender and communities as well as faiths. It is highly uncivil to insist on the arrest of culprits when the dead belong to a particular community only, and turn the other way around when the crime is meted out on another community. Unfortunately, Shobha Karandlaje is doing the same thing that is detested the most. She is eroding whatever respect BJP is left with, with her unfair actions.
If the incident that happened in Udupi, had taken place in Rajasthan or Haryana, it would have been on the national news with anchors discussing this matter round the clock. Udupi case is even more serious than the murder of a cattle trader in Rajasthan. In that case, Sangh Parivar was a direct participant, while the cops tried to protect them. But in this case, police are the co-accused along with Sangh Parivar members. The dead body was transported using the police jeep. Let us for a moment assume that Sangh Parivar activists did kill Husenabba and handed over the injured to the police. The police should have taken him to the hospital for emergency treatment. It was their duty. If it was discovered that he was dead already, they should have ensured postmortem was done to know the cause of the death, whether it was the assault or a heart attack, and eventually initiate action against the accused.
The main question here is, why did the police team up with the Sangh Parivar members to dispose his body hastily in a settlement after they came to know he was dead? Why did they even pretend to trace him? Either the police and Sangh Parivar must have killed him together; or the cops must have transported his body to help the Sangh Parivar members. Now that the police have concluded the investigation to arrive at a clinching evidence against their own ilk, the police officers who have been hand in glove with this crime, how appropriate is it for the MP to insist that the culprits be released, even after the accused have confessed to their crime?
Does this mean the people’s representatives will work against the legal system that runs this country? And this way, they would be encouraging people to commit more crimes too! The young boys who come under the influence of BJP and Sangh Parivar commit gruesome crimes. Does any leader ever come to help their families after the boys go to jail? Do they ever take responsibility for their actions of having instigated violence? Two of the police staff are on the verge of losing their job, owing to their mistake of having been influenced by propaganda. Their families will be badly affected if they spend their lives attending to court cases till the issue concludes. The family of a cattle trader is deeply affected too, by the loss of his life. This will, someday, have a bearing on people’s representatives too. They are responsible for all the tears that are flowing right now.
Prime Minister Modi had warned against fake cattle protectors, who would protect cattle in the day and turn criminals in the night. In this case, people’s representatives are standing in to protect the culprits. With this, the area may soon be handed over to goondas and rowdies as well. What’s the significance of police stations if MLAs and MPs stand to protect the culprits? They might as well give a list of who can be arrested and who should be let off so that it saves time and resources of the government. Let them ask for all the police stations to be shut off. She is free to write a letter to the central home minister to execute such decisions and save the embarrassment for herself. This could save the salaries paid for the functioning of the police department, to say the least.
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Mumbai, Nov 21: Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat on Thursday said his party leaders will follow Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in any direction he goes post-assembly poll results and decisions taken by him will be acceptable to them.
He asserted the party will solidly back Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, as it trusts his leadership, comments coming two days ahead of the state assembly poll results.
Asked what if Shinde goes with rival NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar to become the chief minister for a second time, Shirsat said, "We are committed to (follow) whatever Eknath Shinde decides. We will be solidly with him. We trust him and it will always be there."
The MLA from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (West) was responding to the question asked on a TV channel.
Shirsat said Shinde, who took over as CM in June 2022 after revolting against the then leadership of the Shiv Sena, only goes in the "right direction" and this has been the experience of party leaders.
Shirsat was one of the Shiv Sena MLAs who sided with Shinde at the time of the revolt.
Asked about the comments of his ally, BJP leader Pravin Darekar said, "Shirsat's remarks do not reflect the official stance of the party. Eknath Shinde's party contested against Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP). Such an alliance with the MVA was inconceivable."
The BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP headed by deputy CM Ajit Pawar are members of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. On the other hand, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) consists of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).
Asked what if Shinde is not made the CM again if Mahayuti retains power, Shirsat said, "A decision on this will be taken only by Eknath Shinde. It's his right and we cannot even comment on it. Whatever decision Shinde takes will be acceptable to us."
Voting for the 288-member state assembly concluded on November 20 and results will be declared on November 23.