Three and half months back when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gave the Home Portfolio to Ramalinga Reddy, his decision surprised many with even Congress leaders raising questions of how a soft spoken and low key minister could handle the home department?
However Mr Reddy has taken quite a few tough decisions including denying permission to the BJP to take out a bike rally to Mangaluru and conducting Tipu Jayanti celebrations in a peaceful manner. Despite his efforts to maintain law and order, the situation went out of control in the coastal districts a few days back.
In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Mr Reddy hit back at Union Minister of state for skill development, Ananth Kumar Hegde, quipping that Hegde's skill development meant pelting stones and setting fire to divide society. Here are excerpts of the interview.
After you took charge of the Home Department, riots have taken place in the coastal districts and the police had to resort to a lathicharge during the celebration of Datta Jayanti and Hanuma Jayanti. Did the police fail to tackle the situation?
Soon after I took charge, the BJP sought permission to take out a bike rally to Mangaluru, but I denied permission. There is no breakdown of law and order. When journalist Gauri Lankesh was murdered, the government swung into action by constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The case will be resolved soon. The BJP tried to disturb the celebration of Tipu Jayanti, but it went off smoothly. Hanuma Jayanti was also celebrated peacefully in 175 taluks out of 176. But in Hunsur, BJP tried to create law and order problems and police intervened to contain the situation.
But the BJP has alleged that the government failed to maintain law and order.
The BJP is making the allegation after I denied permission for the bike rally to Mangaluru. Their intention is to create communal disharmony in the state. Mysuru MP Prathap Simha openly stated that on the instructions of BJP national President Amit Shah, he has decided to resort to aggressive protests against the state government. We anticipated trouble during Datta Jayanti, and the cops took precautionary measures. We also anticipated trouble during Tipu Jayanti, so we denied permission to the BJP to conduct the meeting. Despite this we are struggling to maintain law and order as the BJP is trying to disturb peace.
Did the police fail to anticipate violence in the coastal districts? Did they not expect extremist forces to create a law and order situation with elections nearing?
In Honnavar, police have tackled the situation to their best when Id- Milad and Hanuma Jayanti fell on the same day., The police decided not to allow both groups to conduct the celebrations at the same place in Honnavar. But the BJP opposed the police decision and stone pelting took place. Paresh Mesta was also present at that time and ran away. We had anticipated the incident and taken steps to contain the situation.
But your timely action could have prevented clashes from spreading in Kumta and Sirsi.
No, police have taken timely action to contain the riots. Soon after the death of Paresh Mesta police have taken precautionary measures. We prevented the riots from spreading to other places in Karwar district. But the BJP decided to take the riots out of Honnavar to create a ruckus in coastal district.
The BJP has alleged that Jihadi organizations including ISIS are behind the killing of Paresh.
BJP has been trying to gain political mileage from his killing. Family members of Paresh requested the government to hand over the case to CBI, without waiting for the postmortem report, so we handed over the case to CBI. The FSL report should confirm whether the death was natural or unnatural. Our intention is not to protect anybody. If any extremist organization is involved in Paresh’s killing, the CBI is free to arrest the culprits. The BJP has the habit of making baseless statements against the Congress, in IAS officer D.K. Ravi’s suicide case too, the BJP made baseless allegations. Because of the delay in taking a decision in the D.K. Ravi case, the image of the government was dented. But the CBI has given a clean chit to the government, it was a big slap on the face of the BJP.
The BJP alleged that in four and a half years, 19 BJP and RSS workers have been killed. They have alleged that Muslim fundamentalist organizations were involved in these killings.
It is not true. Out of 19 cases, only 11 persons were killed in communal clashes. The remaining were killed due to personal rivalry and due to quarrels among Hindus. Six members from KFD and PFI were killed during riots, who killed them? Are six members of the Muslim community not humans? Why is the BJP not demanding a NIA or CBI probe into the killing of these six persons?
The BJP says the main reason for repeated riots in the coastal districts is the government inaction on illegal transportation of cows.
The BJP is speaking only about the cow, but according to me, there are 14 lakh livestock in the world. All livestock are important, I am more concerned about all these 14 lakh livestock. I will not support violence against any livestock including the cow.
Are Muslim fundamentalists more active in the coastal districts after the Congress came to power?
I have taken charge of the home department only three months back, but I can say that for every action there will be a reaction. In the coastal districts, both groups are strong and retaliate against each other. Otherwise no clashes will take place.
Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde said you are incompetent to handle the home department, what do you have to say about his remarks against you?
One cannot expect such lowly statements from a Union Minister., I have already said he is unfit to become minister and MP. He said that more Marikaambha festivals will happen, one cannot expect such statements from a responsible minister. Mr Hegde is a skill development minister but he is engaging in skill development by dividing societies. Hedge's skill development means pelting stones, dividing society on caste lines and giving protection to anti-social elements. I am strong enough to counter Mr. Hegde. I can speak better than him. But I have decided not to stoop to his level. If he continues such remarks, I will face him.
Your advisor Kempaiah is at the centre of a controversy, being a senior and seasoned politician, why do you give room for such controversies ?
Why should I react to those who give statements on the streets? I am a senior member and have become minister for the fourth time, I can teach the BJP better than anyone else on how to handle the departments. In fact, Kempaiah does not interfere in departmental affairs. He is the advisor to the Home Minister, if necessary I will take his advice and I will also take the advice from opposition parties. Instead of saying ‘Kempaiah, Kempaiah,’ BJP leaders should utter the words 'Sri Rama' , they will be blessed by uttering Rama for their sins will be forgiven.
Being a senior politician, do you need an advisor like Kempaiah?
He was appointed advisor to the Home Minister before I took charge of the department, why should I remove him from the post? There are only four-five months left for his tenure to be over. Moreover Mr Kempaiah is an experienced man, he can share his experiences.
According to National Crime Bureau (NCB) statistics, Bengaluru stood second in crime figures.
Actually crime incidents have been decreasing, but NCB has added traffic violations to the crime list. Due to traffic violations, nearly ten thousand cases have been added to the crime list. And due to increase in traffic violation cases, crime cases have increased. If we exclude traffic offences, our crime ratio is very less comparing to other states. We are at tenth place, Gujarat stood first.
How many seats can Congress win in the 2018 elections?
In 2013, Congress won 13 seats, BJP won 12 and the remaining three were won by JD(S). We will improve our tally in 2018 With the entry of three JD(S) legislators, our tally will increase from 13 to 16. We will win 17 to 18 seats in 2018.
But you lost all three parliament seats in Bengaluru.
It was because of the Modi wave in the 2014 elections. In the coming elections, Congress will do better.
There is a common criticism against you that you make adjustments with BJP leaders in the parliamentary elections, is it true?
These are baseless allegations. In 2008, the BJP fielded Prasad Reddy against me, my winning margin was less than 2000 votes. There is no such adjustment politics.
Are you seeking a ticket for your daughter Sowmya Reddy from Jayanagar?
Yes, if she is given the ticket, Congress will get one more seat, Jayanagar. It was my old constituency, I am confident of winning it but ultimately it is left to the party high command whether to give her the ticket or not.
Voters in the city are fed up with poor infrastructure and traffic congestion.
It was because of the poor governance of the BJP government from 2008-13. During S.M. Krishna’s tenure, we gave priority to infrastructure development but it was discontinued after the Congress lost in 2008. We lost continuity in Bengaluru development related works. Now we are giving a thrust to city development.
