Police foil BJP march to Congress office, detain party leaders
Accusing the Congress government of politicising the NEET protest at Jantar Mantar, BJP leaders and party workers took out a protest march to the District
Accusing the Congress government of politicising the NEET protest at Jantar Mantar, BJP leaders and party workers took out a protest march to the District Congress office in Kalaburagi city on Friday. The protesters alleged that the Congress had diverted the NEET agitation from students’ concerns by raising political issues, including the demonstration outside the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They condemned the incident in which eggs were allegedly thrown at the BJP leaders in Bengaluru and accused the State government of failing to maintain law and order situation. The agitation began with the BJP leaders and workers forming a human chain at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Chowk, before taking out a procession towards the Congress party office.
Addressing the gathering, the BJP leaders alleged that the Congress government had failed to protect Opposition leaders and workers, encouraged attacks on political opponents and suppressed democratic protests. They demanded action against those responsible for the recent incidents and announced their march to the Congress office. As the procession passed the Deputy Commissioner’s office, the BJP workers carrying party flags raised slogans against the State government. The police had made elaborate security arrangements along the route and erected barricades near Lahoti Petrol Pump to prevent the protesters from reaching the Congress party office. A brief face-off ensued when the BJP workers attempted to breach the barricades.
Though some barricades were pushed aside amid sloganeering, the police stopped the procession from moving further. The confrontation intensified near Orchid Mall, where the police detained BJP MLA Avinash Jadhav, former MLA Dattatreya Patil Revoor, former MLC Amarnath Patil, BJP leader Avvanna Myakeri and more than a dozen party workers to prevent them from advancing towards the Congress office. The detentions triggered dramatic scenes as the BJP workers surrounded the police vehicles carrying the detained leaders, attempted to block their movement and raised slogans against the State government. They condemned what they termed the police’s “high-handed” action before the police dispersed the crowd and escorted the detainees away.
The police maintained a tight vigil in the area until the protest concluded. BJP leaders Nitin Guttedar, State BJP OBC Morcha secretary Avvanna Myakeri, district BJP Yuva Morcha president Veeru Patil, former KADA chairman Sharannappa Talwar, former Mayor Vishal Dhargi, Jayashree Mattimod, Shobha Bani, Santosh Hadimani, Sachin Kadaganchi and members of the BJP Mahila Morcha participated in the protest.
The BriefWire