Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur
Updated
Kundapur, Sep 6: The police on Wednesday September 6 detained several BJP leaders and party workers in Kundapur and Byndoor here, after they violated the district magisterial order prohibiting the controversial 'Mangaluru Chalo' bike rally.
The 'Mangaluru Chalo' bike rally is being held by the BJP Yuva Morcha to demand ban on PFI, SDPI and KFD, and against the murders of right-wing activists in the state. BJP leaders and workers were supposed to arrive in Mangaluru from various parts of the district, but the state government, anticipating trouble, has banned the rally. The Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Chikkamagaluru administrations too have banned the rally, but the BJP is bent on going ahead with it despite the ban.
Accordingly, in Kundapur, BJP leaders led by MLC Srinivas Poojary began the rally with about 200 bikes from Kundeshwar Temple with the intention of reaching Mangaluru in time for the September 7 protest. When the rally passed through the town and reached Shastri circle, the police intervened and detained several BJP leaders and workers, including Kota Srnivas Poojary, BJP block president Kadoor Suresh Shetty, Yuva Morcha president Sathish Poojary, Ashok Kodgi, Kishore Kumar, Rajesh Kaveri and others, and took them away in three buses. The bikes were seized and sent to taluk panchayat office. BJP workers who opposed this, shouted slogans against Siddaramaiah-led government.
They were released a short while later.
In Byndoor, the rally was led by BJP district president Mattaru Ratnakar Hegde. The rally began from Hemmady circle and when it reached Jewel park, the police detained Mattaru Ratnakar Hegde, block president Sadananda Uppinakudru, secretary Deepak Kumar Shetty, BJP Yuva Morcha president Sharath Shtty Uppunda and others. They too were released later.
Speaking at the rally, Mattaru Ratnakar Hegde said, "Over one lac BJP members will participate in 'Mangaluru Chalo'. We have no intention of causing any damage or harm to the public. The state government has been sleeping for the past four years. We are going to wake it up. But Siddaramaiah's government is trying to suppress us by banning the rally."
Kota Srinivas Poojary said that PFI and SDPI organizations had 'crossed all limits'. "They have brutally killed more than 12 activists of Sangh Parivar. It gives a feeling that Siddaramaiah intends to destroy the Sangh Parivar. The rally is being held to condemn inhuman murders of innocent members of BJP and Sangh Parivar and to urge the government to hand over the cases to the CBI. The Congress government, instead of welcoming the rally and listening to our grievances is trying to suppress it," he alleged.
In Hebri, a similar rally was led by MLA Sunil Kumar. There too, the police intervened and rounded up the protestors, and released them later.
Bhatkal: Nearly 100 taken in custody
Yahya Hallare
Daijiworld Media Network - Bhatkal
Bhatkal, Sep 6: Uttar Kannada police, on Wednesday, September 6, managed to disperse protesters at ‘Mangaluru Chalo’ bike rally led by the BJP to protest against alleged attacks on many of its workers.
People from Bhatkal, Kumta, Honnavar and Ankola gathered at Bhatkal Shamshuddin Circle to ride to Mangaluru, about 150 km away.
Hundreds of police personnel and other security forces stood guard at Bhatkal Shamshuddin Circle to ensure the BJP does not succeed in carrying out its controversial 'Mangaluru Chalo' bike rally.
Nearly 100 workers gathered at the venue were chanting slogans against the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government.
Police have taken nearly 100 people under custody and taken them to Murdeshwer.
District BJP president K G Naik, Taluk BJP president Rajesh Naik, youth BJP president Laxhman Naik, Sunil Naik, Govind Naik, J D Naik, Krishna Naik and others were present.