Panchamasali agitation: Karnataka Minister Santosh Lad denies allegations of ‘planned’ lathi charge

The allegations made by made by Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjay Swami are baseless, Mr. Lad said

Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad has denied allegations that the State government had planned a lathi charge on the activists who participated in the Panchamasali reservation agitation committee protest in Belagavi on Tuesday (December 10, 2024).

To a query by reporters, he said that this was among the few baseless allegations made by Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjay Swami, honourary president of the committee.

“The seer has said the lathi charge was deliberate and planned. Does anyone in his right mind, plan and deliberately order a lathi charge? It is meaningless. The police have already clarified that they had to resort to lathi charge to stop the forceful storming of the Suvarna Soudha by an irate mob. No government does that (planned use of brute force). What do we get by such an action? We only get a bad name. It is a false allegation,” he said.

He also said that the seer’s allegation that the plainclothes policemen had pelted stones to frame the protestors was baseless and meaningless. “Has the seer spoken about the anti-farmer moves of the Central government? Has he spoke against the death of several farmers’ leaders in New Delhi? It is because he is not being fair.” the minister said. “The seer seems confused. He claims to be the leader of Lingayats, but seeks reservation only for one of the sub-castes,” Mr. Lad said.

Published - December 12, 2024 05:26 pm IST