Bellary: The Congress in Karnataka on December 13 charged the Centre with failing to
supply weapons and ammunition to the state during the Nagappa kidnap crisis and
alleged that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa did not extend cooperation to
end the hostage drama.
KPCC (Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee) president Allum Veerabhadrappa told
reporters that though the state government paid funds to the Centre for "improved
weapons and long-range ammunitions" to nab Veerappan, it did not supply them
maintaining that it was not even in a position to meet the demand to check
cross-border terrorism.
He quoted the Centre as saying that "you had one Veerappan but we have hundreds of
terrorists to deal with".
Veerabhadrappa claimed that Karnataka Special Task Force (STF) had observed the
movements of Veerappan on the second day of his kidnapping but the bandit "brought
pressure on government through Opposition parties that STF should be
withdrawn".
"Even he (Veerappan) objected the movements of forest guards. On the demand by
Opposition parties, government withdrew both STF and guards," Veerabhadrappa
maintained.
Saying that during Rajkumar's kidnap drama Tamil Nadu government gave gull support,
he alleged that Jayalalithaa did not cooperate to end the Nagappa abduction
episode.
"She (Jayalalithaa refused to send an emissary, made it clear that Veerappan will be
killed if he entered Tamil Nadu forests and that Kolathur Mani (who was being
demanded by Veerappan to be sent as an emissary) will be arrested if he entered Tamil
Nadu forest," he said.
Veerabhadrappa claimed that Karnataka government had "never neglected" the Nagappa
kidnap case.
He called for a "uniform policy" to deal with kidnappers. He said in Israel and
Russia, the authorities had made it clear that they would not negotiate with
abductors.
Veerabhadrappa said he would move a resolution in legislature session, which starts
on December 23, calling for such a policy under which government would not send any
emissary in kidnap cases and take all steps directly to rescue hostage.
He said there was no need for a CBI probe, as being demanded by some Opposition
leaders, "Since the killing took place in Karnataka forest".
On the demand by "Veerashaiva Maha Sabha" for resignation of Chief Minister S M
Krishna and ministers belonging to that community, to which Nagappa belonged, he said
there was no need for them to quit as "the statement was made at an emotional level"
and Veerappan had killed people from different communities. "Let us not link
community in this", he remarked.
PTI
