District in-charge Minister K J George rejected the appeal made by MLA Appacchu Ranjan to withdraw the case filed against the BJP workers while observing Kodagu district bandh last month. The police had filed a case against BJP workers for blocking the road at Kushalnagar Gate and Bittangala during Kodagu bandh.
The MLA placed the demand at the last minute. To which, the Minister said that the issue should not be discussed in the KDP meeting. “The case cannot be withdrawn. The Home Minister does not have any powers to interfere in the work of the police. As a minister I alone cannot take the decision. Only the cabinet can take a decision. Let us discuss the issue in Bengaluru,” he said.
SP Varthika Katiyar said that once the FIR is filed, no appeals could be made to cancel the FIR. The MLA should read CRPC and IPC laws, she said.
Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari said that as per the Supreme Court guidelines, the organisers would be held responsible if any untoward incidents occur during bandhs.
MNREGS
Ranjan said that owing to the objections by the ombudsman for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), the works taken up under the scheme was moving at a snail’s pace. “We do not need Ombudsman to Kodagu district. The Ombudsman has been citing rules and guidelines for each and every work. He has been coming in the way of development work. Kodagu is facing acute shortage of labourers. As a result, the use of machineries are inevitable.”
Reacting to this, George said that the project aims at providing employment to the people. If JCB or machineries are used, the very concept of the scheme will be violated, he said.
CMC Commissioner Pushpavathi said that funds are required for taking up works on sand bund at Kundamestri drinking water project.
When the DC and minister asked why the project was named ‘Kundamestri’, the official said that the Kundamestri was the name of a contractor. The minister immediately directed the official to change the name of the drinking water project.
‘Distribute compensation’
George directed the officials to distribute compensation under rain loss immediately. Additional DC Abhiram G Shankar said that the government had released Rs 2.08 crore under rain relief in 2013-14.