Journalism of Courage
Soon after BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa was granted anticipatory bail by the Karnataka High Court Tuesday in connection with a bribery case, his supporters took out a procession in his constituency. On Wednesday, they poured milk on a photograph of Virupakshappa at a temple in the Sulegere village, Davanagere district.
On March 2, his son Prashanth Madal was caught red-handed allegedly accepting a bribe on behalf of the MLA.
Virupakshappa went into hiding soon after the Lokayukta raids were carried out on him and Prashanth. A lookout notice was issued after Rs 6 crore was seized from the MLA’s residence.
On Tuesday, the High Court granted him bail and asked him to appear before Lokayukta in the next 48 hours.
Shortly after, the ‘missing’ MLA surfaced in his constituency. A procession was carried out, crackers were burst, and slogans were shouted in support of the MLA. Virupakshappa also addressed his supporters following the procession, maintaining that the amount recovered from his house during the raid was not a ‘big deal’ and even common men in his constituency—known for areca nut cultivation—had Rs 4 to 5 crore in their homes.
While on the run, Virupakshappa filed for an injunction against media outlets from publishing anything defamatory against him and also sought anticipatory bail.
These developments, along with the fact that the MLA is prime accused in a corruption case filed by Lokayukta, have come as a major embarrassment for the Basavaraj Bommai government. It has also provided ammunition to the Congress to corner the BJP over ‘rampant corruption’, ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.
Amidst criticism over the procession carried out by Virupakshappa’s supporters, BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel said such celebrations in support of a corruption accused was ‘not right’. “We will seek an explanation (from the MLA),” he said.
“It is an embarrassment. We cannot deny it,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister J C Madhuswamy said Wednesday following the Cabinet meeting.
The delay in his arrest has also come under fire from Opposition parties, as the Congress accused the BJP government of protecting the MLA. Meanwhile, Youth Congress carried out a ‘missing’ poster campaign to condemn the delay in the MLA’s arrest.
Another factor that affected the BJP government was a letter by the Advocates Association of Bengaluru condemning the early listing of the anticipatory bail plea of the MLA. The Association is currently headed by Vivek Subba Reddy, a BJP state executive member and a party ticket aspirant from Jayanagar.
The government has also been cornered by the bail granted to the MLA. The Congress party, in a tweet, asked the state government whether it was true that the lawyers appearing on behalf of Lokayukta had said that they had directions not to object to the bail plea of Virupakshappa. “Was there any intervention from the CM?” asked the Opposition party.
However, minister Madhuswamy dismissed these allegations, saying the lawyers were selected by Lokayukta, which is an independent body.
