Karnataka   

Udupi police draw flak

Special Correspondent

Some teachers and journalists have been listed as naxal sympathisers

SHIMOGA: The inclusion of the names of social workers, teachers and journalists in the list of “supporters” of naxalites in the booklet brought out by the Police Department has come in for criticism in academic, political and cultural circles here.

At least three of them Rajendra Chenni, head of the Postgraduate Department of English at Kuvempu University, Kadidal Shamanna, farmers’ leader and social worker, and N. Manjunath, editor of the local Kannada daily “Kranti Deepa” are from Shimoga.

Taking strong exception to the manner in which the Udupi district police included the names, Shimoga MP and State Samajwadi Party president S. Bangarappa said it was not right on the part of the police to have “branded” unconnected persons as “naxal supporters.” He demanded that Home Minister M.P. Prakash order an inquiry into it.

Replying to a question, Mr. Bangarappa said naxalism was essentially a social problem and it could be tackled if the problems of the poor were solved by the Government. Meanwhile, several local organisations have condemned the inclusion of names of Prof. Chenni, Mr. Shamanna and Mr. Manjunath in the list.

In a separate statement, Prof. Chenni said he did not approve of naxalism as an ideology. “I am basically opposed to any form of violence.” The B.R. Ambedkar Vichar Vedike and the Shimoga District Newspaper Editors’ Association have also condemned the action of the Udupi police.

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