‘I am also karsevak, arrest me too’ — BJP launches campaign against Congress
BENGALURU: The BJP in the state on Thursday launched ‘I am a karsevak of Ayodhya Sri Ram temple, arrest me too’ campaign to protest against the Congress government in the state for arresting a karsevak in a 32-year-old case in Hubballi. Karkala MLA and BJP General Secretary V Sunil Kumar was detained by the Sadashivanagar police on Thursday morning for staging a solo protest sitting in front of the police station against the arrest of Srikant Pujari, a karsevak, in connection with a case lodged almost three decades ago in Hubballi during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Kumar, a former minister, protested holding a placard which read ‘I am a karsevak of Ayodhya Sri Ram temple, arrest me too.’ The police took him into custody as he had not obtained prior permission for the protest.
The MLA sat for the protest amid chants of Jai Sri Ram by his followers. Kumar said that the campaign has been launched statewide to condemn the Congress government for intimidating karsevaks and Ram devotees. He also added that Srikant Pujari is being portrayed as a criminal but the Mangaluru cooker bomb accused is labelled innocent.
He expressed anger over some Congress leaders for writing to the government to set free the accused involved in the KJ Halli and DJ Halli riots.
STATEWIDE PROTEST AGAINST POOJARI’S ARREST
In response to the arrest of karsevak Srikant Poojari in a 32-year-old case in Hubballi recently, BJP leaders, including former ministers, protested across the state on Thursday. In Shivamogga, the police detained BJP workers when they tried to lay siege to the SP’s office. Former DyCM KS Eshwarappa, MLA SN Channa-basappa, MLC S Rudregowda, former MLC Bhanuprakash and others were detained. In Chikkamagaluru, former BJP national general secretary and ex-MLA C T Ravi staged a sit-in dharna in front of the town police station, amid the rain. Ravi launched a silent protest condemning Poojari’s arrest.