A day after vandalism by activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and the arrest of its president T.A. Narayana Gowda, Kannada organisations continued their protests on Friday (Dec. 29) too.
KRV members staged a protest at Freedom Park, demanding the release of their leaders. “Narayana Gowda is unwell and suffering from many ailments; he needs immediate medical attention and rest. Hence, the government should make necessary arrangements to release him,” Arun Javagal, Organisation secretary, KRV, said.
Similar protests were held at the Badminton Association, Vasanth Nagar, where another faction of KRV led by Praveen Shetty led the protest. Kannada activist Sa. Ra. Govindu, writers Doddarange Gowda, Hampa Nagarajaiah, and Kannada Sahitya Parishad president Mahesh Joshi demanded that the government immediately release all the arrested Kannada activists, including Mr. Gowda and said if the cases are not withdrawn against them, they will intensify protests.
The Chikkajala police had arrested Mr. Gowda and his associates amidst high drama after the protesters pelted stones at a moving BMTC bus and even vandalised shops and commercial establishments as part of the protest on Wednesday. When the police arrested Mr. Gowda, KRV activists blocked the road while he was being taken to the magistrate court and tried to deflate the tyres to stop vehicle ferrying their leader.
However the police managed to take Narayana Gowda and 28 of his associates and produced them before the magistrate. Mr. Gowda has been remanded into judicial custody for 14 days and has been lodged at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. His family members and KRV activists had a tiff with even jail authorities when they refused to let food and clothes from home for him. KRV’s legal team is working on securing a bail for him.
