BENGALURU: CHIEF Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday defended police action against students, who had staged a protest demanding action against those who allegedly shouted slogans against the Indian Army.
“It had to be done to maintain law,” he said, referring to the lathicharge. Siddaramaiah said the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had lodged a complaint against Amnesty India. “Investigation is going on. As of now, an FIR has been registered. Once the inquiry is completed, we will take action against those involved as per the law,” he said.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police, J C Nagar sub-division, is the investigating officer. “The programme was organised at The United Theological College, Benson Town, Bengaluru, from 7pm to 8.30 pm. Since it was an indoor function, police permission was neither sought nor given. But, since it was brought to the notice of police, police persons were deployed at the function. During the function, it appears some argument took place among members of the audience regarding the action taken by Indian Army in Kashmir,” says a press release from ACP (West) Charan Reddy.
“Towards the end of the programme, persons among the audience raised slogans seeking ‘Azadi’. When the situation was getting volatile, the organisers suspended the programme and the police present there dispersed the people,” the release said.