DHARWAD: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi threatened to protest in front of the office of superintendent of police in Dharwad, objecting to a police constable recording his public meeting at Narendra village on Saturday evening. He asked the constable to stop recording.
He was at the village to address the public on a lathicharge that took place there on September 6 during a Ganesha idol immersion procession. He demanded that the policemen involved in caning be suspended.
“I visited the houses of villagers injured in the lathicharge. The kids, who are three years old, have also been caned by the police. The police have acted with a personal grudge. If it continues, I will sit in dharna, forgetting that I am a union minister,” he said.
SP Gunjan Arya said the police had to resort to lathicharge to maintain law and order. The police have received over 50 complaints and recorded several statements. An inquiry will be conducted based on the complaints, he added.
On the constable recording the meeting proceedings, Arya said, “We were recording the entire meeting. There is nothing wrong as it is a standard procedure. The recording stopped when the minister objected.”