BELAGAVI: Despite the Opposition demanding stringent action against the top police officers allegedly responsible for the lathicharge on protesters during the Panchamsalis’ agitation for 2-A reservation in front of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Tuesday, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara made it clear in the Legislative Assembly that everything about the violence which took place during the protest is crystal clear and that the government will not investigate the incident or initiate action against any of the said officials in this regard.
Responding to a debate on the police lathicharge, Parameshwara said there was no need for an investigation into it since the police have the videos and photos of the violence, and also the identification of those who threw stones during the violence.
“Everything about the violent incident is in black and white and the police acted responsibly to maintain law and order. At least 25 policemen were injured in stone-throwing,” he said. Legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal called the lathicharge unwarranted and said the government had done injustice to the Panchamsalis, who were peacefully staging an agitation.
He said some of the top police officials, including an ADGP, acted irresponsibly during the violence and ordered the lathicharge needlessly.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka and Deputy Leader of Opposition Aravind Bellad also demanded stringent action against the police and hit out at the government for defending the police action.
Earlier in the Assembly, Congress member Vijayanand Kashappanavar, who is the national president of the Panchamasali Reservation Agitation Committee, expressed concern over the police action, but held the BJP leaders present in the protest responsible for the police action on the protesters.
He further charged that Tuesday’s protest was BJP-sponsored and some vested interests were misleading the community and members belonging to the RSS were responsible for the violence during the protest. Angered over this remark, the BJP strongly objected to it and demanded the Speaker to expunge the Congress member’s remark on the RSS by standing on their toes. However, the Congress ministers and members defended what Kashappanavar said.
While the House witnessed uproar, the Congress member went on speaking about the flaws in the reservation given for the Lingayats by carving out a 2D category by the Basavaraj Bommai government.
He accused that the members of the community were not benefited by this due to an affidavit filed by the BJP government. So the state government was in a helpless situation to take any action on the demand of the Panchamasali members.
The same sentiment was echoed by Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda. The remark being made by the minister was strongly objected by BJP members, who said the House was discussing the statement made by the home minister, but not the demand of the 2A category reservation.
Though BJP member Sunil Kumar raised the point of order, the Speaker did not consider it and allowed Gowda to speak. As the bedlam continued, the speaker adjourned the House for lunch break. While coming out, the BJP members accused the Speaker of being biased and went to register their protest to his chamber.
The House witnessed uproar when it resumed post-lunch once again when Yatnal indirectly warned ADGP R Hitendra for ordering a lathicharge on agitating Panchamasali protesters for no reason by saying that the present government might protect him, but the BJP would come to power next time. When the BJP MLA said he would complain about the ADGP to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress members countered him vehemently, citing the federal structure and the Constitution.
Earlier, Yatnal faced the wrath of the Congress members, when he said Siddaramaiah was “anti-Hindu” and the latter insisted the Speaker expunge the remark from the record. Yatnal further said that Lingayats and Hindus are not safe in the state.