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Journalism of Courage
“Policing and politics,” Bhaskar Rao says, “are two different things.”
That is the retired IPS officer and former Bengaluru police commissioner’s way of saying why he doesn’t see anything unusual in seeking the help of a known rowdy, Sunil alias ‘Silent’ Sunil, to get elected, now that he is on the other side of the ropes as a poll contestant.
Till recently the Karnataka vice-president of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has ambitious plans for the state, Rao only recently moved to the BJP and was given the ticket from Chamrajpet constituency in Bengaluru.
But ‘Silent’ Sunil, who has been appearing at BJP public events recently and nursing the Chamrajpet constituency to make the leap into politics, expected the ticket, and his supporters didn’t hide their displeasure the moment the news came of Rao’s nomination.
It was when asked about these protests that Rao said that he was ready to seek Sunil’s help as well, adding: “Policing and politics are two different things. I cannot be doing a policing job when I am in politics. It is a different chapter and we need to respect every individual (to whom) the Constitution has provided rights. The police chapter is over.”
Incidentally, Rao’s first choice was apparently a seat in Basavanagudi area, which has a large Brahmin population (Rao is a Madhwa Brahmin) and where the BJP is considered strong.
Chamarajpet, in contrast, comprises a significant Muslim and backward class population. Plus, it is a stronghold of Congress leader B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, who has won four times from here (thrice on JD-S ticket). The last time a BJP candidate won from Chamarajpet was lawyer and women rights activist Pramila Nesargi in 1994.
In the 2018 Assembly elections, Khan had won by a margin of 33,137 votes, more than the total votes the BJP candidate got.
Rao, hence, can do with all the help he can get.
A BJP leader said they wanted to accommodate Rao as he had shifted sides from the AAP on the assurance of a ticket. Plus, the party wanted to keep off Sunil, as association with him was seen as giving the party a bad image.
With a record going back to 1996, Sunil has about 17 cases against him, including three murders, extortion and dacoity. In December 2022, even while “absconding” as per police records, Sunil had attended a statehood day event in Chamarajpet where he shared the dais with BJP MPs Tejasvi Surya and P C Mohan.
The Opposition outcry that followed had led the BJP to distance itself from Sunil, though he continued to pursue a ticket.
Police officials refuse to comment on record on the cases against Sunil, several of which are pending now in courts.
While Sunil was not available for comment, one of his associates said he was “holding discussions”. “He has not spoken to anyone in the media since the ticket was announced. He will take a call in a day or two, and inform everyone,” the associate said.
