edited by: Pathikrit Sen Gupta
Last Update: March 01, 2023, 19:20 IST
(LR) Pravin Netru and Shafi Bellare. File photos/Twitter
Shafi Bellare, elected from Puttur constituency, is one of the accused in the murder of BJP youth leader Praveen Netru and is currently in jail
Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has decided to field Shafi Belare from 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 Netaru and is currently lodged in jail.
The SDPI had made its intention clear in a public rally a few weeks back, As reported by News18, It had drawn widespread criticism with people questioning the party for planning to field persons being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). In fact, Praveen Netaru’s family had demanded that a murder accused like Shafi should not be allowed to contest elections at any cost. But the party announced his name in the second list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections and tried to flaunt it.
“Charge sheet is not the end of a case, it is to be decided in the court whether the accused is innocent or not. We know it is fabricated. What evidence does the NIA have? Will Shafi Bellare call someone and ask him to kill a person? Is he so stupid? MK Faizi, national president of the Social Democratic Party of India argued.
The SDPI, believed to be affiliated with 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 about 19 districts in the last one year due to various issues and plans to focus on old Mysore, Coastal Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka regions this time. SDPI has never won an assembly seat in Karnataka. It had previously allied with the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Janata Dal (Secular).
On July 26 last year, motorcycle-borne assailants attacked BJP Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Netru and killed him with sharp weapons in Sulia taluk. Unrest broke out in Dakshina Kannada district after Netru’s murder. Soon after, the state’s Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai handed over the case to the NIA.
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