Karnataka govt directs CID to probe Chandru murder case
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has decided to hand over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) the probe into the case relating to the murder of 22-year-old Chandru who was allegedly stabbed to death recently by some Muslim youths.
Chandru, who was accompanied by his friend Simon Raj, was stabbed to death by Shahid Pasha on April 4 afternoon.
While the police maintained that it was a case of road rage, the ruling BJP asserted that Chandru was stabbed for not knowing Urdu as stated by the Home Minister Araga Jnanendra before retracting.
"I spoke to the Director General of Police and the Bengaluru police Commissioner. I have decided to hand over the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Let an impartial probe happen by a third party and truth should come out," Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters on Sunday.
Probably, the Commissioner will write to the Director General of Police to hand over the case to the CID, he added.
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra who had initially said on Wednesday that the youth was stabbed to death for not knowing Urdu, later retracted it after coming in for flak from various quarters.
Bengaluru police maintained that it was a case of road rage and not any other case. The police said Chandru's bike had collided with Shahid Pasha's two-wheeler.
The Congress too demanded Jnanendra's resignation for stoking communal passions with his statement and giving a twist to the case.
However, on Saturday, the ruling BJP in Karnataka accused the Bengaluru police of covering up the murder.
"Simon (Simon Raj, the victim's friend) was at the spot when the incident took place. He has seen Chandru (the victim) being stabbed, when he said he doesn't know Urdu. His statement is there, do you want more truth than this?" Ravikumar asked.
Speaking to reporters, he had said, "First thing is what Simon has said is true, second is there is truth in what his mother has said...there is truth in what his aunt and family are saying. If more truth is required, conduct an inquiry. The Police Commissioner has lied...The Home Minister's earlier statement was correct."
Congress MLA and former minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan had said Araga Jnanendra's statement was wrong and backed the police that it was a case of road rage.
However, Bommai said, "who says what is not important. What matters is that truth must come out. I have decided to give it to the CID for fair probe."
Talking to reporters on Sunday, Jnanendra said the case will be transferred to the CID for a detailed inquiry.
"We will make sure that the murderers get proper punishment for their crime. Carrying out such a gruesome murder for a trivial matter shows the mindset of the murderers. We want to send across a message in the society that the government is with the poor and helpless people," he added.
Jnanendra also said that neither he as a home minister nor the police are inept.
"We are capable. We will make sure that conviction happens and law and order prevails. All the evidence concerning the case will be gathered," he added.
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Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
