BENGALURU:Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar, Ananth Kumar and former deputy chief minister R Ashoka led the ‘Save Bengaluru’ padayatra the party launched on Friday against the rising goondaism by Congress leaders and deterioration of law and order in the city.The padayatra, which was launched after performing a puja at Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple in Basavanagudi constituency, saw a large number of party workers joining the leaders.
Apart from addressing street corner meetings, the leaders went door to door explaining the recent acts of goondaism by Congress leaders and their kin.The padayatra witnessed some anxious moments too when a group of Congress workers led by KPCC Secretary N G Balaram held a black flag demonstration at Hanumanthanagar against the padayatra. However, a tight police cordon ensured there was no untoward incident.
Later in the evening, BJP leaders held the protest march in Shantinagar constituency represented by Congress MLA NA Haris, who is facing the wrath of the BJP and the public for the assault on Vidvat by his son Mohammed Nalapad Haris. BJP leaders and workers took out the march through UB City, where the assault happened, and other major roads including Vittal Mallya road.
‘Chargesheet’ a bundle of lies,says Congress
Bengaluru: Bengaluru Development Minister K J George on Friday dismissed the ‘charge-sheet’ released by the BJP against the Congress as “a bundle of lies.” “A dustbin has some value, but the BJP’s charge-sheet has no value,’’ George told reporters on Friday. George, along with KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao, hit back at the BJP, blaming the saffron party for the garbage mess, traffic congestion and sorry state of the city’s lakes. “They know that it will be a tough task for them to come to power. They expected a good response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public rallies. Modi has held a series of rallies in Karnataka, but has failed to elicit good response,’’ George said. ‘Shah is paper tiger, Modi a meek lion’ George said. Taking exception to Modi for describing the Siddaramaiah government as a “10 per cent government,” the minister said he did not expect the Prime Minister to stoop to such a low level. Reacting to a report in a section of the media on alleged attempts being made to postpone elections to the state Assembly, George said BJP leaders are capable of such acts. They may be planning to postpone the elections and impose President’s rule on Karnataka, George said.
PADAYATRA CAUSES TRAFFIC PILE-UP
The Padayatra caused traffic pile-up in many areas including South Bengaluru and around Ashoknagar and Shatinagar. A senior police from traffic South-Division said motorists had to endure traffic jams when the padayatra was passing through PES junction and Hanumantnagar near Appaji Canteen. “However, we diverted the traffic to an alternative road,” he said. A huge traffic pile-up put motorists to inconvenience around Anil Kumble Circle, Vittal Mallya Road, Siddalingaiah Circle, Brigade Road junction and Richmond Road when the padayatra reached Shantinagar. Traffic was thrown out of gear for more than an hour.