Senior Congress leader Moily charges the government with failure

Bangalore, Oct 11: Senior Congress leader and Second Administrative Commission Chairman M Veerappa Moily today charged the coalition government of Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka with 'total failure' in handling the law and order problem in Mangalore in which two people were killed last week.

Mr Moily, who hails from Dakshina Kannada District, told newsmen here that if the government had handled the situation properly the incidents could have been nipped in bud. It was unfortunate that innocent people were put to hardship because of wrong handling of the situation, he observed.

He said though there was a political compulsion, the government should not compromise on law and order because ensuring security to the people was topmost priority.

Replying to queries, he said that there had been 'series of failures' on the part of the government in tackling situation such as the funeral of Kannada Matinee Idol Raj Kumar, Bababudangiri issue and the incidents in Mangalore. These incidents reflected 'total failure of governance and also inexperience' in handling the situation, he felt. However, he declined to demand inquiry saying that the Union Minister of State for Home Prakash Jaiswal, who had visited the trouble torn areas, had felt about the inadequate presence of police and that the centre was prepared to conduct an inquiry into it.

To a question Mr Moily said the situation warranted the visit by the Union Minister of State for Home as there were apprehensions about the role of Students Islamic Movement of India in connection with the incidents. He denied the presence of SIMI in the district and said unnecessarily the Bhajarang Dal and Sri Rama Sena volunteers were inviting terrorism through their provocation.

He questioned the propriety of imposition of curfew and said there was no need for such a drastic measure. It had only paralysed the normal life in the district, he felt adding that police indulged in atrocities against the minority people.

He took exception to Home Minister M P Prakash pleading helplessness with regard to providing adequate security measures and said the government could have summoned forces from outside if needed. Besides, Mr Prakash did not care to meet the central minister though he was staying in the circuit house. If the government was transparent, Mr Prakash would have met Mr Jaiswal, he felt.

UNI