Call for CBI probe into Ravi's death grows louder

Progressive thinkers, farmers, dalits and students staged protest demonstrations demanding the central bureau of investigation (CBI) inquiry into the mysterious death of IAS officer D K Ravi, here on Thursday.

The progressive thinkers led by Pa Mallesh, who is also in the coterie of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah staged protest demonstration near the deputy commissioner’s office. Mallesh questioned the reluctance on the part of the chief minister, who has been dithering to hand over the probe to CBI. However, Mallesh said, the progressive thinkers were not only pressing for CBI enquiry but were also demanding stringent action against the mafia and invisible forces that compelled the officer to take the extreme step. “It is no more a secret that mafia and corporates hold the reins of the government. An organised fight is needed to weed out such forces in the corrupt system,” he added.

General Secretary of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) district unit, Hoskote Basavaraju sang paeans of Ravi, who as a deputy commissioner of Kolar district had initiated many welfare programmes, he said. “He was popular among the masses for reclaiming the lands worth crores of rupees. He continued with his good deeds even after his transfer to the department of commercial taxes as its additional commissioner (enforcement). Even though there is a clamour for CBI probe, the government has entrusted the probe to criminal investigation department (CID),” said Basavaraju.

Various college students who protested under the banner of Akhila Bharateeya Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) demanded the government to clarify the doubts behind Ravi’s death. The students from Nataraja and Maharaja colleges arrived in a rally to the deputy commissioner’s office.
Kannada activists under the banner of Jayakarnataka offered tributes to Ravi, near the Mahatma Gandhi bust opposite Law Court’s complex.

Postal workers
Hundreds of postal workers took out a rally to the deputy commissioner’s office pressing for the fulfilment of various demands. The postal workers who rallied under the banner of All India Postal Grameen Seva Employees Association demanded for the regularisation of services, besides benefits like  holiday, pension and promotion on the lines of other employees in the department. Though there are around 2.70 lakh workers in rural division, they are deprived of many facilities. Though they are bound to work for three to five hours per day, they are forced work for stretched hours up to eight to 10 hours due to staff shortage.

The postal workers who have been staging a sit-in in front of the superintendent’s office at Yadavigiri as part of the nation-wide call from March 10, took out the rally in major thoroughfares of the city like Sayyaji Rao road, D Devaraj Urs road and Hunsur road before culminating at the deputy commissioner’s office. The workers from Mysuru and Nanjangud divisions took part in the rally.