Embarrassment Karnataka minister under fire for comments on Haneef

Karnataka: Home Minister M.P. Prakash came under fire for his comments earlier this month that Bangalore doctor Mohammad Haneef was a misguided youth with a criminal bent of mind.

The issue was raised in the state assembly on Saturday as news came in that Haneef was all set to leave Brisbane for home.

Opposition parties in the state are demanding that Prakash come out with the information that led him to such a conclusion. Prakash, who was not in the city yesterday, is expected to make a statement in the House today.

In his absence, Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) told the House that the Karnataka Government was deeply pained at the treatment meted out to Haneef by Australian authorities.

Prakash is also the president of the state unit of the Janata Dal- Secular (JD-S), which is leading the coalition government with BJP.

The JD-S yesterday declined to react to the dropping of charges against Haneef. Prakash's comments on Haneef are now turning out be an embarrassment for JD-S in view of its claims to be a protector of minorities' interests.

On Friday, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said he was "greatly relieved" to hear that Australia had dropped all charges against Haneef. "This proves that Bangalore is not linked to terror," he added.