Mandya (Karnataka), Jan 12 (IANS): The JMFC court in Karnataka's Mandya issued summons to 17 BJP workers on Friday in connection with a 2017 case involving a bike rally which was then held in violation of prohibitory orders.

The BJP had held a rally against the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in Mangaluru city of Dakshina Kannada district.

The workers were heading to the venue in a bike rally from Mandya and the police had stopped them at Pandavapura town. They had lodged an FIR and submitted a charge sheet in the case to the court. The summons were issued for the BJP workers to appear before the court as they remained absent for the court proceedings, police said.

The BJP, taking objection to the development, stated that why its party workers are summoned now when all these years there was no movement at all in connection with the case. The party alleged that the Congress government is pursuing politics of hatred and targeting Hindu activists.

The police have clarified that the summons was issued by the court and they had got nothing to do with the development.