The Hindu : Bear costs to nab Veerappan, Centre urged

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Bear costs to nab Veerappan, Centre urged

By Our Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE DEC. 9 . The State unit of the CPI(M) has urged the Union Government to bear the operational costs of a joint effort of Central, State and Tamil Nadu police to nab the forest brigand, Veerappan. Regretting the brutal slaying of the former minister, H. Nagappa, by the brigand, it has urged that these forces must make an all out effort to nab him, dead or alive, this time round.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the State CPI(M) General Secretary, G.N. Nagaraj, said the State Government had totally failed in its efforts to nab Veerappan. Describing the death of Nagappa as sad development in the cruel Veerappan saga, he noted that State was to be blamed for not properly responding to his November 30 deadline to send an emissary for negotiation.

He criticised the State unit of the Janata Dal (United) for bringing pressure on the State Government to slow down STF operations against the brigand, giving him ample time to regroup and plot his moves. He was also critical of the failure of the State Government to effectively utilise the services of the Indian Army which had excelled in the trying sub-freezing conditions at Kargil.

Noting that there was no point in allowing Veerappan's reign of terror to go on unchecked for long, Mr. Nagaraj appealed to the Union government to bear the cost of concerted efforts to track down the bandit. He said the Union Government should take this as special case as there was no provision for it to do so. Law and order is a State subject, he pointed and added that there was no other go.

He also demanded that State Government announce a concrete plan of action to nab Veerappan. He expressed dismay at the plurality of voices and opinions expressed by the ministers in the Government on steps to nab the brigand. Noting that this was only adding to the confusion, he said the governments should not rest till Veerappan was captured.

Referring to move by the State Government to extend the deadline for eviction of tribal farmers from reserved forest areas of the State as per the Supreme Court directions, he regretted that no steps were being taken to protect their interests. He said the State should urge the Union Government to amend the Forest Act and get it to extend the 1978 cut-off date announced by SC to 1995. He said that no harm had come to forest wealth by "girijans", who had settled there for ages. He argued that they had protected the forest efficiently. Instead of harassing such tribal people, the Government could take steps to evict people who had encroached upon forest areas measuring more than one acre.

He said that it was imperative for two factions of Janata Dal to unite to take on the Congress and the BJP and pave the way for formation of a third front in national politics. For this to happen, the JD leaders should set aside their personal differences and egos, he said, and added that only such a set up could collectively fight the march of liberalisation.

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