Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada district will be peaceful if political parties, including the Congress, keep mum for a month, home minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Tuesday.
Reddy was in the district to attend the marriage ceremony of Mohammed Anshif of Expertise group, Saudi Arabia. Answering a question about deteriorating law and orderwith five murders in a span of one month, Reddy said that DK (Dakshina Kannada) will be able to maintain law and order “when all parties keep themselves away from making any comments”. However, he took a dig on BJP and said that “BJP is responsible for all law and order issues here.”
On Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar comment about increase of crimes in the state, Reddy took a dig and asked Javadekar to study National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). According to Reddy Karnataka stands at the 10th spot in crime rates. “When BJP was in power, crime percentage was 6 percent and during our (Congress) rule it has reduced to 5 percent.”
Asked about the untimely transfer of IPS officer CH Sudheer Kumar Reddy, who served just seven month in DK as superintendent of police, Reddy said that it was decided by chief secretary during a recent meeting. “Ravikanthe Gowda has been Belagavi SP since September 17, 2014. We would have had to change him even otherwise. Sudheer Reddy is given higher responsibilities and there is no political hand behind transfer.” He added that there will be more transfers in coming days and will also soon fill all (police) vacant posts.
Asked whether chief minister Siddaramaiah is scared of BJP chief Amit Shah’s visit on January 25, where bandh has been called across the state, Reddy answered that Shah’s arrival and bandh has no connection. “Bandh was called by farmers and others over Mahadayi river water dispute with the neighbouring state Goa. We are not scared even if Shah visits state multiple times.”