'Goonda sarkar' shielding MLA's son, says Jagadish Shettar

Bengaluru, Feb 21: The state government on Tuesday came under attack from the Opposition BJP in both Houses of the legislature over two public brawls involving Congress functionaries.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar, who sought to move an adjournment motion in this regard, described the state government as "a goonda sarkar" and accused it of trying to protect Congress legislator N A Haris's son, Mohammed Haris Nalapad, who brutally beat a youth at a city pub last Saturday.

The second incident involved a Congress worker, Narayanaswamy, who reportedly threatened to set a BBMP office afire in KR Puram.

Irrelevant cases

"Police initially registered cases under irrelevant and insignificant IPC Sections against Haris Nalapad. Section 307 (attempted murder) was invoked only after pressure mounted," he suggested.

Ministers K J George, R Roshan Baig and U T Khader tried to defend the government, leading to a commotion in the House.

Shettar claimed the police were not given a free hand to deal with such cases. Haris Nalapad was involved in violent brawls in the past, too, but the cases were hushed up, he added.

"The home minister (Ramalinga Reddy) recently said those taking the law into their hands will be booked under the Goonda Act. Why hasn't he included Haris Nalapad on the goonda list," the former chief minister asked. He claimed that Muniraju, another Congress worker from KR Puram, had assaulted a BJP worker on Monday.

In the Legislative Council, the Opposition demanded that Mohammed Nalapad be booked under the Goonda Act. The Leader of the Opposition in the Council, K S Eshwarappa, alleged police inaction "owing to external pressure".

'Action as per the law'

Replying to the charges, both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the home minister said action had been taken against Haris Nalapad as per the law. "The law will take its own course. The government will not interfere in such cases. Make it an issue is not right," Siddaramaiah said.