From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Updated
Bengaluru, Sep 5: Even as Karnataka’s BJP leaders led by State Party Chief B S Yeddyurappa were planning to flag off the 'Mangaluru Chalo' bike rally to protest against the alleged murders of RSS workers in the State from Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Tuesday, the State Government has acted tough and banned the show.
The reason given by the State Government to ban the BJP bike rally is to prevent law and order problems and traffic hassles along the route.
The State BJP leaders, who were ticked off by the party’s National President Amit Shah during his recent visit to Karnataka for not doing anything against the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the State or its alleged corrupt deeds, had planned to launch the bike rally from Bengaluru, Hubballi and Shivamogga to the coastal city of Mangaluru to protest against the alleged murders of RSS workers in the State. The bike rally was proposed to culminate in a public protest meeting in Mangaluru on September 7.
But both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the newly appointed Home Minister B Ramalinga Reddy have decided to ban the bike rally fearing it might lead to escalating the law and order situation and also cause traffic hassles, especially during the monsoon season.
"We have asked the BJP leaders to host a public meeting in Mangaluru instead of the rally which would cause traffic problems en route," Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy told media persons.
The State BJP had planned the "Mangaluru Chalo" bike rally and the public meeting to condemn the murders of RSS workers in the state.
"Permission has been denied for the rally to prevent disruption of peace and communal harmony in the state and to avoid traffic problems," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters.
"Instead of going to Mangaluru, the BJP should organise a "Delhi Chalo" for seeking farm loan waiver. We will support that," the Chief Minister said.
BJP leader and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who was to flag off the rally from Freedom Park here, was not part of the gathering of party workers.
Congress Counter Protest
Meanwhile, workers of the farmers wing of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee launched a counter agitation in the city on Tuesday against the BJP’s protest under the banner, 'Rokho Mangaluru Chalo; Jaavo Delhi, Parliament Chalo', to ask BJP leaders and workers to press Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to the rescue of farmers suffering due to drought and crop losses by waiving farm loans from all commercial and nationalilsed banks.