From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Mar 1: As the State Congress party’s second leg of Mekedatu padyatra under the leadership of KPCC Chief DK Shivakumar and Opposition leader in State Assembly Siddaramaiah enters Day 3 and the Bengaluru city traversing from Kengeri, after an overnight’s stay, a confrontation between the police and ruling BJP as well as Basavaraj Bommai government seems imminent.

While Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Higher Education and Ramanagara district in-charge minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, Revenue Minister R Ashok, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, Water Resources Minister Govind M Karjol, State BJP Chief Nalin Kumar Kateel have already condemned the padayatra and sought dismiss it as politically motivated and accused that it is violation of Covid norms, the police have registered cases against scores of Congress leaders and workers besides removing the posting posters and banners welcoming the padayatra with pictures of Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.

Addressing a media conference at Kengeri on Tuesday, the day of Mahashivaratri festival, before commencement of the third day’s walk in the city, Shivakumar gave an indication of what is happening. Extending greetings to the people on the occasion of Mahashivaratri, he said that he along with other leaders and workers is proceeding with the padayatra demanding implementation of Mekedatu project as also protect the interests of the people of the Cauvery catchment areas and Bengalurians to get drinking water.

“Our padayatra has entered Bengaluru city. But police officers, BBMP joint commissioner and other officials have removed our banners and posters, which has been resisted by Congress leaders and workers in some places. If our banners and posters are removed, I will ask party workers to remove all banners and posters of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and all BJP leaders,’’ he warned and said: "Let them (police and BJP leaders) remember that the law is same for all. There can’t be two set of laws for us and for them. How our banners and posters are removed and cases registered only against Congress workers?’’

Shivakumar took the police and government to task for allowing posters and banners on the birthdays of Yediyurappa, Ashwath Narayan or minister V Somanna? "How a function with Chief Minister as Chief Guest was allowed in Bommanahalli to celebrate Somanna’s birthday? Who gave permission for all these? Are these not subject to laws,’’ he asked.

Going a step further, the KPCC Chief asked BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta to display a signboard saying BJP office in front of BBMP office and also urged the police officers and constables to discard their uniforms and wear saffron shawls to exhibit their loyalty to the ruling party.

“Our party workers display our banners for one day and remove them later. You can remove the posters and banners. But our workers will put out banners in the sky using balloons. You can’t prevent them. The banners are to propagate our policies, ideals and goals. When there is no policy on display of hoardings, why single out only our banners while allowing those of BJP and its leaders,’’ Shivakumar said.

Despite the Centre asking all State Governments to withdraw the Covid restrictions, why Karnataka is continuing with them even now, he asked and said the State BJP leaders are trying to prevent the padayatra and doing their best to stop it.

Shivakumar wanted to know how BJP was allowed to carry out a funeral procession in Shivamogga under minister KS Eshwarappa’s leadership and Bajrang Dal activists held a rally in front of Town Hall. If public meetings cannot be held, how the Bommanahalli stadium is being inaugurated with Chief Minister himself attending, he asked and declared that the Congress party cannot be cowed down by cases and jails.

Criticising the registering of cases against 40 Congress leaders and workers for participating in the padayatra, he challenged the police to file cases against 10,000 persons who attended the padayatra and offered to give names and addresses of all persons. He said the party will collect details of all activities carried out by BJP in the State and also details of police officers who harassed Congress workers. "Nobody is permanent. Sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. Let the police remember this,’’ he warned.

Answering questions from reporters on why Congress leaders did not visit the house of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha, who was murdered in Shivamogga, Shivakumar promised to visit the boy’s house and console his mother. "He is our boy. Nobody should be murdered. I condemn the murder whatever may have been the reason,’’ he said and wanted to know why Eshwarappa or BJP leaders did not visit the Dalit youth Dinesh Naik, who was brutally assaulted and died in Dharmasthala recently, and attacked the police for not taking up proper investigation.

The KPCC Chief apologised to the people of Bengaluru to bear with the traffic congestion in the city till the day of the public rally at Basavanagudi on March 3 as it is aimed at getting drinking water to the people of Bengaluru. He, however, appealed to the partymen and people to attend the rally by using Metro trains so as to minimise traffic congestions. The struggle will lead to solving the drinking water problem of Bengaluru for the next 50 years, he claimed.