Panchmasalis block road, stage protest over lathi-charge in several districts

Siddaramaiah accused of misleading the public with his statement that it is not possible to accord 2A reservation to the community

Members of the Lingayat Panchamasali community staged roadblocks and demonstrations in the districts of Dharwad, Gadag and Haveri and also others on Thursday condemning the police lathi-charge on the members of the community in Belagavi on Tuesday during a protest over reservation.

In Dharwad, seer of Lingayat Panchamasali Peetha of Kudalasangama Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami led the protest at Jubilee Circle where a roadblock was staged for some time.

The protestors demanded action against police officers for resorting to the lathi-charge and raised slogans against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the State government.

A host of Lingayat Panchamasali leaders, including district unit president Ninganna Karikatti, were present.

Addressing presspersons later, the seer accused Mr. Siddaramaiah of misleading the public saying that it is not possible to accord 2A reservation to the Panchamasali community.

He said that to divert the attention of the public from the lathi-charge, the Chief Minister has made such a statement.

“However, we will not be deterred by his statement. We will continue our agitation. If Mr. Siddaramaiah does not give reservation, we will take it from the next Chief Minister,” he said.

The seer also requested Mr. Siddaramaiah not to tell lies. “We demanded 2A reservation after verification of the report of the Permanent Backward Classes Commission. Reservation is our birthright,” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking to presspersons in Dharwad, Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Arvind Bellad took a dig at Lingayat MLAs in the Congress for remaining silent on the lathi-charge and said that the community’s interest is more important than politics and clinging on to power.

He said that a peaceful protest was turned into a battlefield by the Congress government and it should remember that the Lingayat community in North Karnataka played a crucial role in the Congress coming to power in the State.

He said that there are 34 Lingayat MLAs in the Congress and none has spoken against the lathi-charge which showed they preferred politics over community.

The members of the community staged protests by blocking roads and holding demonstration in Hubballi, Kalghatgi, Kundgol, Navalgund and other places in Dharwad, Gadag and Haveri districts.

The protestors poured their anger over posters of Mr. Siddaramaiah and demanded that the government tender an apology for the lathi-charge. They also demanded the withdrawal of cases booked against the protestors and the suspension of the police officers involved.

Published - December 12, 2024 07:50 pm IST