Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Nov 27: An FIR has been filed against Muneer Katipalla, a prominent activist, for leading a protest on November 26 demanding repairs to the Mangaluru-Surathkal Road, completion of the Kulur bridge, and the Nanthoor flyover.

The protest, organised by the Surathkal Toll Gate Horata Samithi, took place in Kulur, where Katipalla also criticised Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal for denying permission for the protest.

In response to the FIR, Katipalla said, "This FIR is not just against me, but against the people who raise their voices in favor of the public. Since the Congress came to power, Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal has been imposing a dictatorship, denying permission for protests against BJP leaders. Despite our peaceful protest, we were denied permission and faced intimidation from the police."

He continued, "When we protested against Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat for his provocative remarks at Thokkottu, or when we held a pro-Palestine protest, permission was denied in both cases. Even though these protests were peaceful, FIRs were filed against us. Now, we are protesting against poor road conditions, linked to projects under the Central BJP government, like the Kulur bridge and Nanthoor flyover. This was a simple protest with around 100 people. We requested permission, but it was denied at the last moment, with vague reasons. Two police officers even visited my house to threaten me and my family."

Katipalla emphasised, "We cannot remain silent just because we didn’t get permission. We didn’t use loudspeakers or disturb the public or traffic. Mangaluru has turned into a crime hub, with rampant gambling, the matka racket, the sand mafia, and illegal massage parlors. Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal and DCP Siddarth Goyal have turned out to be anti-people, bringing shame to the government. We will not back down due to this FIR. We will continue our protests."

He added, "Why should we protest only near the Mini Vidhana Soudha? Is there any government order on this? The police's duty is to maintain law and order, not to form government policies. If they are brave enough, let them arrest me. Even in the FIR, it is mentioned that our protest was about road repairs. Is protesting a crime?"

Katipalla also demanded, "We call for the immediate transfer of Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal and DCP Siddarth Goyal, as they have tarnished the government’s image. We will not stop protesting, even if it means protesting outside the Police Commissioner’s office. Let the Commissioner take action, but we will continue, and this protest will reflect poorly on the government. We urge the Chief Minister, Home Minister, and District In-Charge Minister to make a decision."

He further pointed out, "Recently, in Surathkal, BJP MLA Dr Bharath Shetty held a food fest by blocking the road, and at an event in Pandeshwar, the BJP blocked roads as well, yet the police did nothing. The BJP can do whatever they want, but we cannot even raise our voices for public demands. The government needs to address this issue, or we will continue to protest."