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Journalism of Courage
If earlier the Supreme Court had promised to give l’affaire Veerappan a decisive turn, its latest intervention on the matter betrays a remarkable lack of urgency. On September 1, the Supreme Court stayed the release of Veerappan’s "associates" by the Karnataka government acting on a special leave petition by 76-year old Abdul Karim, father of sub-inspector Shakeel Ahmad, allegedly killed by Veerappan in 1992. At that time, the apex court’s order and its oral strictures had echoed popular indignation at what looked like the unresisting surrender of two state governments to the brigand’s blackmail. More specifically, it called a halt to the state’s plan to swap 51 TADA detenus for Rajkumar. It was also hoped that the court’s damning censure would invest a new urgency in attempts to secure the release of Veerappan’s hostage through an alternative strategy. It is inexplicable, then, that the court should now decide to pull back and further prolong this overlong drama. On September 19, the Supreme Court directedthat appeals and related writ petitions in the case be listed for final disposal on October 11. In effect, the court has decided to keep the ball in its own court till that date.
It requires no special foresight to see the consequences of the court’s decision. The spotlight and the onus will shift from Bangalore and Chennai to New Delhi. In this reprieve, the farce will get a new lease of life. Of two governments paralysed by the challenge of one criminal. Of Nakkeeran’s Gopal once again wending his obstacle-free way into the forests, and returning with ever more sets of photographs and cassettes. Of the much-touted Special Task Force being reduced to an inert bystander. And of life in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu resuming an extremely uneasy normalcy, constantly overhung by the spectre of ethnic violence. The governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu would already appear to have made use of the extra time that has so fortuitously come their way by launching into a quarrel. Tamil Nadu has blamed Karnataka for not informing it about the Kannada superstar’s visit to his Gajanur farmhouse on July 30 despite knowing that he was facing a kidnap threat. The implication is that the abduction maynot have taken place had the Karnataka government done its duty. In the days to come, Karnataka can surely be counted upon to rise to its own defence.
It is no mere coincidence, perhaps, that the particular case that has occasioned this delay, is not a simple one. Doubts have been voiced about the real identity of the 51 TADA detenus against whom the state government had decided to withdraw charges in response to Veerappan’s demand. It may well be proved that these men and women, labelled as Veerappan’s associates, are actually long-suffering victims of the much-abused TADA who have been languishing in jail for years, that they were farm labourers living in remote villages with no criminal antecedents. Veerappan has obviously chosen his demands well. But that alone could not have helped him stretch the drama he began on July 30 well into its second month. For that, he has the prevarication of two state governments and now the highest court of the land, to thank.
