The Karnataka government, which came under attack following the tragic end to the Nagappa abduction drama, said on Tuesday that it would not negotiate in future hostage situations.

The government also vowed to capture bandit Veerappan dead or alive and hiked the reward on his head from Rs20 million to Rs50 million.

Asserting that "direct police action" will be the government's answer to "anti-national and criminal activities", Chief Minister S M Krishna said in the assembly: "Whether it is Veerappan or anybody else, in cases of kidnap we will not negotiate."

"Subversive elements only understand the language of bullet," Krishna, who admitted that his government had failed in protecting Nagappa, said.

While maintaining that the government did its best to secure the release of the Janata Dal-United leader, Krishna said it was ready to face any punishment from the people.

Wrapping up a 17-hour-long debate on the Nagappa issue, he said, "Sending of cassettes [Veerappan's mode of communication with the government] will not work. We will not even hear it."

Krishna said he would write to his counterparts in other states and impress upon them the need to take a similar position so that it found acceptance at the national level.

Krishna's tough words came close on the heels of a claim by a JD-U leader, Ponnachi Mahadevaswamy, who twice met Veerappan during the Nagappa hostage crisis, that the bandit was ready to surrender provided he was given amnesty by a presidential decree.

The chief minister also rejected demands by JD-U leaders that the government should call for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the death of Nagappa.

As Krishna rejected the demand for a CBI probe, JD-U members trooped into the well of the House and demanded resignation of Minister for Agro Processing Raju Gowda for his alleged nexus with Veerappan.

In the midst of noisy scenes, the House was adjourned sine die.

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