BENGALURU: The protest by Lingayat Panchamasali community activists continued at Freedom Park on Thursday, but the indefinite hunger strike they had planned has been put off. This is significant step in the protest, because there is an underlying fear that it could spark violence. The protesters are demanding backward 2A status for the community.
Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami told TNIE that they had originally planned to go on a hunger strike from Thursday, but with many community leaders prevailing on them to call it off, they decided to put it off. Community leaders like MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and others had urged the leadership not to go ahead with the hunger strike as planned, because of the fear of violence.
Movement leader Vijayanand Kashappanavar told TNIE that everything depends on the community leadership and what the leaders decide is final. It may be recalled that the protesters had threatened that if their demand for reservation was not sorted out, they would go ahead with the strike. On Wednesday, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced a three-member team headed by a High Court judge to look into all the reservation demands. But Mrutunjaya Swami said the protest will continue till the CM announces reservation, and there is no going back on it.