By Sunaad Raghuram Mysore Aug 30: Kannada celluloid star Shivrajkumar is extremely disappointed on hearing that the Supreme Court has stayed the release of 51 alleged associates of brigand Veerappan from Mysore jail, till Sept 1. Speaking to Zeenext.com over the phone from Bangalore, he said it was very unfortunate that the release of his father Rajkumar would now be delayed. The entire Rajkumar family was eagerly awaiting the outcome of the Mysore sessions court order that had granted bail to the 51 accused, he said. “I'm unhappy now that my father would have to spend a few more days in such harsh conditions in the forest. It’s all in our fate, I guess,” he said on a philosophical note. Many rejoice over court stay But the intervention of the Supreme Court has been hailed by many. While everyone wants Rajkumar released unharmed, the move to let off TADA detenus has been greeted with disgust, disbelief and sarcasm. Ramesh, who lectures at a well-known management college was furious. “What wisdom on earth made the Chief Minister and the Home Minister take such an outrageous decision? Do they, even for a moment, realise that criminals would now begin to scoff at the very basis of law? The Supreme court has done the right thing in staying the charade being enacted in the name of law.”
The frightening ramifications of the decision and the long-term effects bother Muddu Krishna, an officer with Indian Bank. “People will soon begin to believe that there is no sense of security in the state… What the decision has done is to send out a signal to those who choose to live outside the legal framework, that the powers that be can easily be toyed with.”
The government should have used its authority from the first day of the kidnap itself. By buckling and surrendering to his outrageous demands, it straightaway gave him the upper hand, said P B Ramakrishna, a retired school headmaster. ‘Shameless genuflection’ “The shameful genuflection of the state government at Veerappan`s feet and its total incapacity to think up a plan to rescue Rajkumar has highlighted the pathetic lack of cohesion of thought and the ability to handle emergencies on the part of the state. Where are the high profile bureaucrats who advise politicians? Is this all they could do for all their acumen gleaned from experience gained from years of governance at the highest levels,” asked a Rotarian, Vijay. They all agree that Rajkumar is a very important personality whose life couldn’t have been endangered. But what is galling is the abject surrender, the complete spinelessness exhibited by the government, even before the proverbial first bullet could have been fired. “What next? If Veerappan kidnaps another high profile personality, would it be the handing over of the entire government to him,” laughed a software engineer, Prem.