Vijayendra demands inclusion of two Congress MLAs from Kodagu in FIR

Kushalnagar: Kushalnagar town, the gateway to Kodagu district, wore a fortified look today as hundreds of Policemen were posted to ensure maintenance of Law and Order as the Opposition BJP held a massive demonstration in front of the Community Health Centre at the town this morning demanding inclusion of the names of Congress MLAs from the district — A.S. Ponnanna, who is also the Chief Minister’s Legal Advisor and Dr. Manthar Gowda — in the FIR filed in connection with the suicidal death of BJP worker Vinay Somaiah, who was found hanging at his office in eastern Bengaluru yesterday.

In his death note, Vinay had reportedly named the two MLAs and a Congress leader by name Thennira Mahina as being responsible for his death.

The body of Vinay Somaiah, an employee of a private firm in Bengaluru, who committed suicide at Bengaluru early yesterday morning, was brought to Kushalnagar last night under tight Police security. The body was kept at Kushalnagar Community Health Centre.

Upon learning about the arrival of Vinay’s body, hundreds of BJP workers from across Kodagu district gathered in front of the Health Centre right from early this morning.

Later, the party workers, planned to forcibly enter the heavily barricaded Dy.SP Office that is located very close to the Health Centre. But they were prevented from doing so by the Police who were present in large numbers, forming a cordon all around the Dy.SP Office.

The BJP workers, who raised slogans against the State Government, insisted that they will not receive the body until the names of two MLAs were included in the FIR.

Hate politics

Addressing the protesters, State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra said that the party workers will not move from the spot until the names of Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna and Madikeri MLA Dr. Manthar Gowda were included in the FIR.

Alleging that the State Government was indulging in hate politics and Police Stations in the State were functioning like Congress Offices, Vijayendra warned the Congress not to take the death of Vinay Somaiah lightly. He was an innocent party worker and falsely booked in the ‘Kodagina Samasyegalu’ WhatsApp Group insulting message case, only because of political reasons. 

Reiterating that the Police should also name the two MLAs in the FIR, he called upon party workers to stay here and wait no matter how long, until the names of the two MLAs in the FIR filed by the Police in Bengaluru, where Vinay ended his life yesterday.

Vijayendra also warned that they would not receive Vinay’s body until their demand is met.

MP, ex-MP join protest

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, former MP Prathap Simha, MLA T.S. Srivatsa, former MLA Preetham Gowda, former Assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah, MLCs N. Ravikumar and Suja Kushalappa, Kodagu District BJP President Napanda Ravi Kalappa, Mysuru District BJP President L.R. Mahadevaswamy,  Mysuru City BJP Chief L. Nagendra, leaders M. Rajendra, Sunil Subramani and others took part in the protest.

Last respects

Earlier, the BJP leaders visited the Community Health Centre and paid their last respects to the departed Vinay Somaiah.

More than 400 Police personnel from Kodagu, Hassan and Mysuru districts were deployed as a security measure. 

DIG (Southern Range) Dr. M.B. Boralingaiah, Kodagu SP K. Ramarajan, Mysuru SP N. Vishnuvardhana, Hassan MP Sujitha Salman, Mysuru DCP Sundar Raj and Additional SPs from Hassan and Mandya supervised the security arrangements.

Police will take legal action: Home Minister

Meanwhile, Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara said in Bengaluru this morning that Police will take legal action in the case.

Noting that everyone is equal before the law, he asserted that strict action will definitely be taken against the guilty and there is no need for any doubt in this regard.

The Hennur Police in Bengaluru, who have lodged the FIR in the Vinay suicide case, are already investigating, he said adding that no one would be protected or spared.

MLAs names cannot be included in FIR: CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in Bengaluru this afternoon, that the names of the two MLAs A.S. Ponnanna and Dr. Manthar Gowda, cannot be included in the FIR.

Rejecting the demand of BJP leaders, Siddaramaiah said that the Police have registered an FIR in connection with the suicidal death of Vinay Somaiah. Action will surely be taken if anyone is found guilty after the investigation is concluded, he said adding that the BJP leaders were only politicising the death.

Not involved, says MLA Ponnanna

Virajpet Congress MLA A.S. Ponnanna, who has been the target of BJP leaders in the suicidal death of BJP worker Vinay Somaiah, denied allegations of harassment and insisted that he was not at all involved in the case in any way.

“I don’t even know who he was,”  Ponnanna, who is also the Legal Advisor to CM Siddaramaiah, said and attacked the Opposition BJP saying “The BJP has continuosly spread false propaganda. It must be noted here that I was not the one who filed the complaint nor did I ask anyone to do so.”

When asked about reports that his name found mention in Vinay’s death note, Ponnanna dismissed it saying ‘WhatsApp messages cannot be trusted.’

I was surprised about my name’s mention in death note: Dr. Manthar Gowda

Madikeri Congress MLA Dr. Manthar Gowda said, he was totally surprised about the reported mention of his name in Vinay Somaiah’s death note.

Maintaining that Vinay’s death at a young age of 39 has pained him too, he contended  that a thorough probe would reveal the truth.