Bangalore: 'Frustrated' Yeddyurappa Back in Jail
Narayana Swamy
Political Analyst
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Oct 19: Jailed-and-twice-hospitalized former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa is back in prison, reportedly "frustrated with media reports that accused him of feigning illness as a way to avoid prison." He was discharged from Victoria Hospital on Wednesday October 19.
On Tuesday October 18, soon after he heard the news of the adjournment of his bail plea, Yeddyurappa seemed to develop a sudden attack of stress and was shifted to Bangalore's Victoria Hospital from Jayadeva Institute, instead of being brought back to where he was supposed be - the prison.
The timing of the hospital-hopping put a big question mark on whether his ill health is genuine at all, and has sparked off a nationwide debate.
According to sources, the former chief minister was confident of securing bail on Tuesday, and hence decided to go back to Parappana Agrahara prison for a few hours and get back home as soon as bail was granted. However, as the news of high court deferring his bail plea to October 20 came in, he was promptly shifted to Victoria hospital for high salt levels and depression.
Intellectuals around the country are now questioning as to how any person, notwithstanding his power and position, be above the law?
For one who has closely followed Yeddyurappa's movements soon after his arrest warrant was issued by the Lokayukta court, his power in the state is apparent, and it is clear that he still has the state government's remote control in his hand.
Yeddyurappa went missing for at least four hours after the arrest warrant was issued, giving him sufficient time to plan and dicate his terms to the jail officials and get the hospital ready for his treatment, say political analysts.
Even before Yeddyurappa could reach the Parappana Agrahara jail, Karnataka prison minister went ahead and ordered all the officials in the jail to treat Yeddyurappa as a VVIP prisoner. Allotting prisoner number 10462 to him was just a formality, as he was reportedly sitting in top jail official's office to complete the paper procedure. Soon after, he was transferred to VVIP cell where all the necessary facilities except air conditioner were made available. The jail officials even allowed him to be treated at Jayadeva hospital immediately after he complianed of chest pain.
Yeddyurappa, however, is not alone. When it comes to skipping jail, he has company in his cabinet colleagues former minister Halappa, who was arrested on rape case and who avoided jail citing health reasons, and Katta Subramanayam, besides film actor Darshan.
However, Janardhana Reddy was unlucky, as he could not escape jail and did not even get VIP treatment as he was arrested by the Andhra police.
Former telecom minister of India, A Raja and MP Kanimozhi too could not get celebrity treatment because they haved been locked up in Tihar jail, far from their home state Tamil Nadu. Kalmady also had to taste ordinary treatment in Tihar, though there were reports of him demanding VIP treatment and even having tea with a jail official.
The question on every Kannadiga's mind is whether the state politicians and other powerful people consider themselves above law, and why they are allowed to do so. Will this trend no encourage corruption? Shouldn't there be a system to keep a check on those who cite ill health to escape jail?
Only judiciary can answer this. For now, Yeddyurappa is back in jail, but only after he was forced to. The question is, if Yeddy's ill health was really genuine, would such reports prick him and would doctors allow him to be back in jail?