Date:09/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/09/stories/2006010902500300.htm

Karnataka - Bidar

Congress accused of targeting Soralli voters

Staff Correspondent

Former BJP MLA threatens to move NHRC against police over attacks on party leaders

Gundappa Vakil accuses Minister of pressuring police
He says defeated candidates are behind the attack

Deputy Superintendent of Police holds meeting in Soralli

Bidar: Congress leaders have committed serious atrocities on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers from the Dalit communities in Soralli in Aurad taluk, the former MLA Gundappa Vakil has alleged.

He said at Aurad on Saturday that Minister for Forests and Congress leader Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli had instructed the police not to act against the accused.

"We will approach the National Human Rights Commission and the Civil Rights Enforcement Cell to seek justice," he said.

According to him, some Congress leaders, who lost the zilla and taluk panchayat elections, were attacking voters in order to seek revenge.

Eight BJP workers were attacked between December 28 and January 5, he said. Two of them have received serious head injuries. But no Congress worker has been arrested yet, he alleged.

Mr. Vakil alleged that Congress leader Rajappa Patil and his followers attacked Ramappa Harijan in Soralli on December 30.

He received a serious head injury but survived because of timely medical treatment. Instead of taking action against the assailants, the police kept Mr. Ramappa in custody for two days.

Rajshekar Nagmurthy, zilla panchayat member, and Basavaraj Patil Kollur, senior BJP leader, have lodged a complaint in the court.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Subhash Gudimani visited the village on Saturday.