Vijayawada, August 10: The case against PDP leader Abdunnasir Ma’dani cannot be seen as part of the anti-minority move of the BJP government in Karnataka, said CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat. He was speaking to media persons on Sunday in Vijayawada where the party’s Extended Central Committee meeting was being held.
Karat had last day accused that the BJP governments including the one in Karnataka were carrying out civil rights violations against minorities. He was responding to the query of media persons as to whether the move against Ma’dani too was part of it.
Karat recollected the strong opposition towards the move of the Karnataka government to make legislation against the slaughter of cow. The anti-Muslim measures in Gujarat too are part of this. But the case against Ma’dani is a criminal one regarding bomb blast. This is different. As it is criminal case, legal measures should be taken. He added that he would not include the case as part of the anti-Muslim moves of the BJP government.
The statement of Karat is relevant as the CPI (M)-led Kerala government has offered all cooperation to the Karnataka government if it wanted to arrest the PDP leader. Ma’dani and his party had supported the CPI (M) and LDF in the last general elections. The CPI (M) went for good relations with Ma’dani even though other parties in the front were against it. But, ever since the LDF could not gain many seats in the elections, the party has been avoiding Ma’dani. PDP leaders had repeatedly requested the Chief Minister and other ministers to involve in the case to ensure justice for Ma’dani who, they say, could not involve in any terrorist activity being under the B-category protection of the state government since his release from the Coimbatore jail. However, the state government has offered to cooperate with the Karnataka government for his arrest.
——-Agencies