Comrade J Bharadwaj, State Leading Team Member of CPI(ML), and also the state president of AICCTU (All India Central Council of Trade Unions) has been issued a notice for an enquiry for ‘Externment’ (‘Gadipaaru’ in Kannada) by the Deputy Commissioner (Collector/District Magistrate) of Koppal, Ms.Tulasi Madineni, with an ulterior political motive. There are no criminal cases pending against Com. Bharadwaj. He was acquitted by the court in an explosives case which was falsely framed against him. Other two minor cases were also closed as the ‘B’ reports contradicted FIRs as they were false. He is issued an ‘externment’ enquiry notice not because of any other reason but for organising rallies, protests and agitations in a democratic way with due permission from authorities and also strikes and Bandhs. This action of the DC of Koppal is an attack on democracy and also on the people’s movements that question the violations of law by the government authorities themselves.

This action appears to be a conspiracy of the real estate and corporate land mafia. This is an attempt to silence the voices of people and the dissent in the society. The party also strongly condemned the undemocratic and illegal action of the DC and the harassment meted out to many activists of people’s struggles in the recent times in Karnataka.

CPI(ML) and AICCTU has been raising voices of poor and the downtrodden in Koppal district of Karnataka. CPI(ML) has organised many struggles on issues related to illegal encroachment and capture of land and house sites owned by the poor people, including dalits and unorganised workers. We also organised many struggles for allotment of housing sites to houseless people in the district. As these struggles of the poor affected the real estate mafia in the district, they are using state machinery and state authorities to espouse their cause.

Koppal has been one of the districts where multinational and corporate companies, including POSCO and MSPL, and real estate mafia eye on land assets in the district in general, and particularly on the lands owned by and allotted to the poor unorganised workers and small farmers. MSPL and POSCO’s attempt to grab thousands of acres of land with the support of Koppal DC could be stalled only by people’s movement and legal actions. The historical Nizam period Ginegere Airport was handed over to the Ultratech, Birla Group. The Koppal DC has been quite active in handing over large tracts of lands to corporate houses and real estate mafia since she assumed charge of Koppal district. The DC is going to the extent of cancelling lands allotted to poor people and grabbing farmers’ lands and handing over them to the real estate mafia.

In Gangavati taluk of Koppal district, CPI(ML) opposed encroachment of government land by real estate mafia in the name of Lord Ayyappa temple. We demanded that the State Endowment Board must take over the temple administration. The land was actually claimed by auto technicians as the allotment was cancelled by the administration and the case is pending before the court. Another piece of land allotted to unorganised workers of auto technicians twenty years back was also cancelled.

The Gadipaaru enquiry notice against Com. Bharadwaj, a proposed candidate of the party in the coming elections, is also politically motivated. Bharadwaj is a committed cadre of the party dedicated to the people’s cause and also a civil rights activist as a part of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).

CPI(ML) demanded (i)withdrawal of Gadipaaru enquiry on Comrade Bharadwaj (ii) investigation into land related orders by the DC of Koppal, Ms. Tulasi Madineni since she assumed charge and (iii) transfer of Deputy Commissioner Ms. Tulasi Madineni from Koppal District.

Since the day Com. Bharadwaj was issued the notice, many Left and democratic organisations in the district came forward and condemned it. All vernacular papers came up with stories surrounding questionable land transactions and real estate and corporate land mafia friendly nature of the DC since she assumed charge.

As the public pressure was mounting, the DC postponed the hearing on 10 Jan. to 18 Jan. When comrade Bharadwaj went for the enquiry with advocate on 18th, the DM herself went on a leave without giving any date of adjournment.

The struggle against externment is on.

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Initiatives Against Externment in Karnataka

CPI(ML) organised an impressive rally at Gangavati on 16 Jan. condemning the BJP governemtn in the state and the DC, which was addressed by leaders of many Left organisations. The party leaders also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary on 17th. State level demonstrations were organised in many districts in Karnataka and memorandums were sent to the Governor.

CPI(ML) organised an impressive rally at Gangavati on 16 Jan. which was addressed by many Left organisations, including Vittappa Gorentli of ‘Save Koppal Movement’, DH Pujar of CPI(ML) (KNR faction), Basavaraj Silavendar of CPI, Peer Basha of Labour Line Magazine, Basavalingaiah of CPI(ML) (Red Flag), Appanna, state secretary of AICCTU, Seshadri of VP of Bangalore city, Prasad of AISA addressed the demonstrators along with district leaders Basavangowda and Virupakshappa.

‘Externment (Gadipaaru) Enquiry Notice on Bharadwaj for Democratic Protest is an Assault on Democracy; Stop Harassing People.s Activists; Stop Illegal Real Estate and Corporate Land Grab’ - were the slogans reverberating in a demonstration by the party and AICCTU in Bangalore on 18 Jan. The demonstration was addressed by AICCTU leaders Puttegowda, district secretary, Narayanaswamy, VP, Veerakumar, JS, Mani, JS among others.

In Davanagere, AISA and CPI(ML) activists led by Prasad, NECM submitted a memorandum to Governor through the DC of Davanagere. Memorandum to Governor was also submitted through Dakshina Kannada district DC at Mangalore by AICCTU leaders led by Sathish and Chandru. Similar Memorandum was submitted at Mysore also by Javaraiah on the same day.[/box]