Karnataka: CM’s attack on cops ‘timed’ for Rahul visit?

BENGALURU: The Chief Minister and Home Minister’s meeting with top police officers on Wednesday on the deteriorating law and order condition in the City and State was reportedly “timed” around the arrival of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in Bengaluru on October 9; to give him the impression that the current political dispensation in Karnataka has zero tolerance towards crime and breakdown of law and order, and that they would crack down heavily on police officers if they were found wanting in the discharge their official duties, said an official source in the Chief Minister’s office.

Mr Gandhi will be visiting distressed farmers in Mandya and hold a public rally there. Last weekend’s gangrape of a 22-year-old BPO employee in Madiwala police station limits had got the government and police bad press on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were visiting Bengaluru on October 6. The police had worked overnight and cracked the case and arrested the two accused.

This is not the first time that official announcement related to Home affairs were timed on alleged “political compulsions,” said the officer on condition of anonymity.

Bannanje issue

Two months ago, Director General and Inspector General of Police Om Prakash had called for an impromptu press meet on August 7 regarding the extradition of notorious underworld don Bannanje Raja from Morocco to Bengaluru, on the eve of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike polls, which were held on August 22.

In the meeting the police chief had announced the team, which was constituted for the job and in an unprecedented move; had even named the team members of the extremely sensitive operation spanning three countries. The State police had sought the help of Ministry of External Affairs and the Interpol for the first ever extradition of an outlaw from Morocco with who India does not have extradition treaty.

According to official sources the press meet was held on alleged political “dictation,” to get brownie points for the Congress in the all important civic body elections in which the Party had eventually lost.