The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Raju Gowda took brigand's help to win polls: Parimala Nagappa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 19, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Raju Gowda took brigand's help to win polls: Parimala Nagappa

Staff Reporter

`Villagers were told by Veerappan not to vote for Nagappa'

Parimala Nagappa

BANGALORE: The late Raju Gowda took the support of Veerappan to win the elections against her husband H. Nagappa, said Parimala Nagappa on Saturday.

Deposing before the R.G. Vaidyanatha Commission of Inquiry, Ms. Nagappa said that Veerappan himself had admitted this in the two cassettes sent by him after abducting Nagappa. The commission is looking into the facts and circumstances leading to the death of Nagappa after his abduction.

Brigand's visits

Ms. Nagappa, who is also the MLA for Hanur, said that many of the elections held since 1967 were being won by her husband or Raju Gowda or his (Raju Gowda's) brother. During the campaigning for 1989 elections, they heard villagers say that Veerappan and his associates had come canvassing for of Raju Gowda.

Ms. Nagappa said that Raju Gowda won the 1989 elections "because of Veerappan's support." Raju Gowda, who was the Minister in-charge of Chamarajanagar district during the time of the abduction, did not visit their house or made telephone calls, Ms. Nagappa said.

Ms. Nagappa said that it was State Government's "negligent and irresponsible attitude," which led to her husband death. Nagappa was abducted because the security provided to him by the Government was poor, she said. She said that because of the threat perception, the State Government decided to provide security to Nagappa three years before he became Minister in 1996. "For six months five security persons were provided. This was later reduced to three and then to two," she said. The two who were on duty by rotation were provided with only one gun.

Ms. Nagappa said senior police officials did not oblige when a plea was made to tighten security after an incident of sandalwood theft three months before the abduction. On the day of the abduction, Puttananja, the lone security personnel, was not in the room of the house where Veerappan and his associates held Nagappa. He was later found to be in one of the two rooms adjoining the entrance gate. Ms. Nagappa said that the State Government did not take proper steps for sending emissaries for negotiation with Veerappan for releasing her husband.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka