Vittala Malekudiya is innocent, declares MP M. B. Rajesh

Vittala Malekudiya is innocent, declares MP M. B. Rajesh

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Apr 19, 2012: M. B. Rajesh, the MP for Palakkad constituency in Kerala, criticized the government of Karnataka for violating human rights by arresting Vittala Malekudiya, a student of journalism and mass communications at Mangalore University, who has nothing to do with Naxals. 

Addressing reporters at a press conference on April 18 Wednesday after visiting Naxal-infested areas and meeting Vittala Malekudiya in jail, the MP said that the Forest Rights Act 2006 is being violated in Karnataka and urged the union government to ensure that the state government implements this act.

Alleging that the police are not permitting Vittala’s friends and family members to bring his clothes and books to jail, he said that the police are acting against the court order that permits him to answer his exams. 

Speaking about human rights violations in tribal areas, he said that the case of Vittala is just the tip of the iceberg. Calling it a ploy to grab land belonging to the tribes, he said that the Karnataka government was following the policy of Narendra Modi, the CM of Gujarat—a policy of evicting tribes for wildlife conservation while actually intending to hand over their land to MNCs and corporate bodies. 

Speaking on the compensation package of Rs. 10 lakh per family offered as part of tribe rehabilitation, he said that this is insufficient as a family cannot be expected to survive on such a meager amount. 

Condemning the Anti Naxal Force as an “anti social force,” he alleged that the ANF does nothing but torture tribal people. He informed that Linganna Malekudiya was tortured so much that he ended up with a fractured leg. 

The MP also said that it will be proved in court that Vittala is not associated with Naxals in any way, but that he is a DYFI activist. 

Muneer Katipalla, the DYFI district president, and B. Madhava, the secretary of the district level of the CPI (M), were also present.