BANGALORE: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday spoke about what he considered to be an anomaly in the legal system. The law seemed to be selectively applied because influential people got away while ordinary mortals got caught, he said.

Speaking at a function to mark the release of 309 prisoners from jails across the State on the occasion of Independence Day, Mr. Kumaraswamy said it was strange that while people with political clout managed to escape the law, ordinary people got caught for the same offence and had to spend time in prison.

"I sympathise with you. I know the hardships that you go through while spending time in prison. The pain that you go through is far more than what politicians like us, who face charges of corruption and other offences, suffer. Despite committing far more serious offences, we continue to move about freely. On the contrary, you have to languish in prison, some for offences abetted by politicians," he said. There was no stringent law to punish corrupt politicians.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said the State Government had to take the blame for making people land up in prison for offences that mainly arose from the disparity in economic conditions. "Those preparing our economic policies are concentrating more on wealthy people and disregarding the problems of those living in slums and rural areas. We have not bothered to create enough employment opportunities, which is forcing youngsters to indulge in petty offences such as picking pockets and stealing mobile phones," he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said he was in favour of providing facilities for the deprived classes to make them self-dependent, rather than creating more prisons.

"I want to create an environment where there will be no prisoners," he said and added that cleansing the present system for achieving this objective was a difficult task. "In my brief period in the post, I have not been able to improve the system. I have felt like resigning from the post. But this will not serve any purpose. It will only add to the long list of portraits of former Chief Ministers in the Cabinet hall," he said.

`Be patient'

He said he was aware of the difficulties that the prisoners being released would face in leading a normal life. "You have to be patient and avoid doing anything that can land you back in prison." The Government was using different schemes to give financial aid and other facilities to 251 of the released prisoners. He called upon corporates, entrepreneurs and society to help the released prisoners.

The Chief Minister said he planned to visit prisons every month to acquaint himself with the problems of prisoners. He would also look into the disparities in the facilities given to prison staff and the police, he said.

Certificates handed over

Mr. Kumaraswamy then presented certificates releasing 103 prisoners from Bangalore Central Prison.

Additional Director-General of Police (Prisons) S.T. Ramesh said this was the first time that such a large number of prisoners were being released. While 55 prisoners were released from jail in Belgaum, 17 were released in Bellary, 21 in Bijapur, 33 in Gulbarga, 59 in Mysore, two in Shimoga and 18 from the open-air jail here.

Tejaswini Sriramesh, MP, and Narayana Swamy, MLA, spoke. Director-General and Inspector-General of Police B.S. Sial and Home Secretary Vatsala Vatsa were present.

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