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Karnataka Reservation Protests: The BJP attacked Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka over ‘lathi charge’ by police on Panchamasali Lingayat community members demanding reservation.
Karnataka protests (ANI Image)
Karnataka Reservation Protests: The protests by the Panchamasali Lingayat community in Karnataka turned violent on Tuesday as the police resorted to ‘lathi charge’ near the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, drawing a sharp reaction from the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.
The community protested seeking the inclusion of the Panchamasali Lingayat community in the 2A reservation category, which offers 15% reservation for government jobs and educational institutions.
The community only receives 5% reservation at present due to its current classification under the 3B category.
The police resorted to ‘lathi charge’ to disperse the protesting crowd.
#WATCH | Karnataka: A large number of people gathered in Belagavi to demonstrate over Panchamasali Lingayats’ reservation demand under 2A category. Police used mild force to disperse them. pic.twitter.com/2YLTGdpkbm— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2024
BJP Alleges ‘Dictatorial’ Regime
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi slammed the Congress government over the ‘lathi charge’ on the protestors, terming the government’s action a matter of “grave concern”. He asked if there was no place for protest in Karnataka which is run by a government which “claims to be protectors of the Constitution”.
“Is the state Congress government running a dictatorial regime? The use of the police by the state Congress government to suppress the protest in Belagavi, demanding 2A reservation for the Panchamasali community, through a brutal lathi charge is a matter of grave concern. In a government that claims to be protectors of the Constitution, led by the Congress, is there no room to protest as per constitutional rights?” Joshi posted on X.
He asked the Chief Minister to clarify his stance on “denying the right to protest” in Karnataka.
“We firmly stand in support of Kudalasangama’s revered Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swamiji and all the protesters leading this movement,” the Union Minister said.
“ಸರ್ವಾಧಿಕಾರ ಆಡಳಿತ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಿದೆಯೇ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಸರಕಾರ???”ಪಂಚಮಸಾಲಿಗೆ 2A ಮೀಸಲಾತಿ ನೀಡಬೇಕೆಂದು ಆಗ್ರಹಿಸಿ ಬೆಳಗಾವಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ಪ್ರತಿಭಟನೆಯನ್ನು ಹತ್ತಿಕ್ಕಲು ರಾಜ್ಯ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಸರಕಾರ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಇಲಾಖೆಯನ್ನು ಬಳಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಪ್ರತಿಭಟನಾಕಾರರ ಮೇಲೆ ಅಮಾನುಷವಾಗಿ ಲಾಠಿ ಚಾರ್ಜ್ ನಡೆಸಿರುವುದು ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಗಂಭೀರ ವಿಷಯ.ಮಾತೆತ್ತಿದರೆ… pic.twitter.com/gQijBQpBRw
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) December 10, 2024
The BJP Karnataka condemned the ‘lathi charge’ incident and termed it an “insult” to the Panchamasali community.
“The inhumane lathi charge by the @INCKarnataka government on the Panchamasali Lingayat community, descendants of Rani Chennamma, who were peacefully protesting for reservation, is highly condemnable. While the Congress extends a shield of innocence to those who set police stations on fire and carry out bomb blasts in hotels, they have used the police to attack the protesting Panchamasali community. This is an insult to the entire Panchamasali community,” BJP Karnataka posted on X.
CM Reacts To Protests
Siddaramaiah sought to clear the air around the protests over the reservation and said that the community leaders were called for a discussion, however, they “did not turn up”.
“In a democracy, there is a right to fight and we are not opposing the right to fight,” he said.
