JOIN US Home Minister K J George on Tuesday said directions have been issued to the police to explore the possibility of booking those who indulge in moral policing under the Goonda Act.
Speaking to reporters, he said the police have been asked to verify the history of such offenders. Cases will be filed under the Goonda Act if they have repeatedly indulged in such activities. The State government is following a policy of zero tolerance against moral policing, he said.
The provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) are not strict enough to deal firmly with these offenders. So the police in many cases have not been able to take strict action against them. “People have been demanding strict action against them and the government too is of the same view. But the government’s hands are tied due to the weak provisions of the IPC,” he stated.
When asked if the government will refer M M Kalburgi murder case to the CBI, the Minister said Megha Pansare, daughter-in-law of CPI leader late Govind Pansare, recently advised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against it, as it has failed to solve the Dabholkar murder case. Megha suggested that it is better to ask the State police to investigate the case, he added.The State government has, however, not taken any decision in this regard. The chief minister will soon take an appropriate decision, he said and added that he suspected the involvement of professional killers.
He said the government has given a free hand to the police to conduct a probe into rape charges against Ramachandrapura mutt seer Raghaveshwara Bharathi.
George also took a dig at BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa for taking out a farmers’ rally across the State and instead advised him to provide interim relief to distressed farmers from the Centre.