The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has decided to field Shafi Bellare from the Puttur constituency in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka for this year’s assembly elections. Bellare is one of the accused in the murder of BJP youth leader Praveen Nettaru and is currently lodged in jail.
The SDPI made its intent clear a few weeks ago at a public rally, as reported by News18. It had led to widespread criticism with people questioning the party for planning to field individuals being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). In fact, Praveen Nettaru’s family had demanded that a murder accused like Shafi should not be given permission to contest the election at any cost. But the party announced his name in the second list of candidates for the upcoming assembly polls and tried to brazen it out.
“A charge sheet is not the end of a case, it has to be decided in court if the accused is innocent or not. We know it is fabricated. What evidence does NIA have? Will Shafi Bellare call someone and ask him to murder a person? Is he that stupid?” argued MK Faizy, national president, Social Democratic Party of India.
The SDPI, considered an affiliate of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), is planning to field 100 candidates in the Karnataka assembly elections.
The party believes it has gained ground in nearly 19 districts in the past year because of various issues and plans to focus on Old Mysuru, coastal Karnataka, and Kalyana Karnataka regions this time. The SDPI has never won an assembly seat in Karnataka. It tied up with Bahujan Samaj Party and Janata Dal (Secular) earlier.
On July 26 last year, motorcycle-borne assailants attacked BJP Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru and hacked him to death with sharp weapons in Sullia taluk. Following Nettaru’s murder, unrest broke out in the Dakshina Kannada district. Soon after, state chief minister Basavaraj Bommai handed over the case to the NIA.
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