Politics over cattle pound arrests
Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Apr 17: Arrests of two political leaders have triggered a political tsunami in remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Andaman and Nicobar Police have arrested two political leaders Mr. Bhima Rao, General Secretary of City Congress Committee and Mr. C H Babu, City President, A & N State Bharatiya Janta Party for allegedly damaging government properties and dacoity.
The first arrest of Mr. Bhima Rao was made of Saturday last, while the second arrest of Mr. C H Babu, who was absconding since Saturday, was made yesterday night from Middle Point area.
On Saturday both the political leaders had allegedly entered the Lambaline cattle Pound of Port Blair Municipal Council and released nearly 15 cattle and also damaged the gate, following which a Police Complaint was lodged by Port Blair Municipal Council.
Fuming BJP unit of Andaman and Nicobar Islands has now planned to gherao the Port Blair Municipal Council Office tomorrow to express their anger against these two arrests.
“We will gherao the PBMC office tomorrow and target the Secretary PBMC and those officials who have filed the FIR. The arrest was made without conducting any preliminary inquiry and the case was intentionally made non-bailable offence by the Police Department,” R Mohan the President of Andaman and Nicobar State BJP unit told ‘Andaman Sheekha’ today.
Wife of Both Bhima Rao and C H Babu are elected councillors of Port Blair Municipal Council. Mrs. Varalakshmi, wife of C H Babu is the councillor of PBMC’s Ward Number 9 while Mrs. P Bharathy, wife of Bhima Rao is councillor of PBMC’s War Number 8.
Meanwhile the lone Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray has also expressed his anguish against these two arrests.
“I strongly oppose the move and urge the Administration to withdraw the case immediately,” Ray told ‘Andaman Sheekha’ today.
With all these political chaos, the pressure is mounting on Andaman and Nicobar Police Department but the Police Department is seemed to be firm on this issue. “Since was had complaint from Port Blair Municipal Council that these two persons were involved in criminal offence, we have arrested them,” Superintendent of Police of South Andaman District, Mr. S B S Tyagi told ‘Andaman Sheekha’ today.
Supporters of these two politicians argue that the step taken by them to release cattle from cattle pound is justified as it is done for benefit of poor people of Dairy Farm area, who are unable to pay heavy fine to PBMC. But there are many who are supporting the move of police department. “They consider themselves as son-in-law of PBMC but that doesn’t mean that they break law of this land,” said a Port Blairian. The matter has now become talk of the town and many believe that politics over this issue may bring fortune for political parties if cards are played wisely.
The matter has already become a major political issue and considering the 2014 elections political parties will surely try to make maximum out of the situation. However, there is a total silence in Congress Camp on this issue.
