While BJP leaders and members staged protest across the State against the arrest of Srikanth Poojari, who they said is a Ram Bhakt, the agitation led by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok and Deputy Leader of Opposition Arvind Bellad in Hubballi witnessed some dramatic moments, before the police detained around 150 members as a precautionary measure.
The protest, which began on a peaceful note with Mr. Ashok, Mr. Bellad, accompanied by legislators Mahesh Tenginakai, M.R. Patil and Pradeep Shettar, making critical remarks against the Congress government, then witnessed some high drama once Mr. Ashok announced that they will lay a siege to the Town Police Station in front of which they staged their protest earlier.
The BJP leaders said that Srikanth Poojari, who was arrested in connection with a case related to rioting on December 5, 1992, was the result of vengeance politics of the ruling disposition.
Mr. Ashok and other BJP leaders accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government of taking appeasement politics to the highest level by arresting a Ram Bhakt. He said that while the Congress government is protecting the likes of cooker bomb accused, it has arrested Ram Bhakts unable to digest the fact that the Ram Temple has finally come up.
Mr. Ashok termed it as a move to threaten Ram Bhakts who are going to house-to-house for extending invitation to all people for the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Mr. Ashok said that senior officials have admitted that the police inspector committed a mistake and has talked of transferring him, which is not what they are demanding. “We want him suspended for acting in a vengeful manner against a Ram Bhakt who eked out a living running an autorickshaw,” he said.
He said that there are several lapses on the part of the police, as action followed specific orders from higher-ups in the government.
Mr. Ashok demanded the suspension of the police officer and threatened to intensify the agitation if the demand is not met.
Mr. Bellad said that the Congress government should stop taking appeasement politics to new heights. Mr. Tenginakai, Mr. Patil and Mr. Pradeep Shettar and other speakers too aired the same demand and said that the Congress government is upset over the inauguration of the Ram Temple.
They were joined by the former MLA and State president of SSK Samaj (to which Srikanth Poojari belongs) who warned the Congress government against targeting Hindutva activists.
After the speeches ended, Mr. Ashok announced that they will lay a siege to the police station. As Mr. Ashok led a group of protestors, the police, who had already installed barricades and were keeping guard, stopped and detained them. They had a difficult time making the leaders and members board the buses that were kept in place to take them to CAR Ground.
150 detained, released
Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar, who monitored the situation from the Town Police Station, told presspersons that they detained around 150 persons as a precautionary measure.
On the demand of the BJP leaders that the inspector be suspended, she said that departmental procedures have to be adhered to and suitable action will be initiated after looking into the incident and following due procedure.
Those detained were released later.
