Mangaluru: Defying the police ban, the BJP held a massive protest at Dr BR Ambedkar Circle and also took out a padayatra and procession till the Deputy Commissioner's office on Thursday as part of Mangaluru Chalo.
The police arrested some people near Ambedkar Circle and others outside the DC's office which they had planned to picket. However BJP workers and leaders who gathered at Ambedkar Circle in the morning defied the ban and held a protest in the circle for about two hours till 12.15 pm. BJP leaders CT Ravi and Katta Subramanya Naidu arrived on a bike which was stopped by the police.
Leaders including B.S. Yeddyurappa, Shobha Karandlaje, K.S. Eshwarappa, Aravinda Limbavali, R Ashok and Nalin Kumar Kateel addressed the gathering. Over 5,000 workers participated in the meeting.
As there was no permission to erect a stage, an open truck was converted into a temporary stage where the leaders stood and addressed the protestors. Despite police vigil, the workers succeeded in bringing about 20 motor bikes and in holding a bike rally from the circle to the DC's office covering 3 kms.
Leaders including Yeddyurappa, Eshwarappa and Shobha were arrested when they started the Padayatra. Police had turned the DC's office into a fortess and did not allow any protestor to enter. The protesors demanded that the government ban PFI, SDPI and KFD and also demanded the resignation of Dakshina Kannada District in-charge minister Ramanath Rai.
Mangaluru MP loses his cool
The clipping of Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel shouting at officials and warning that he would call for a bandh, went viral on social media on Thursday.
The clipping shows Nalin shouting at Police Inspector Maruthi Naik for not releasing the activists who were arrested during 'Mangaluru Chalo' rally. Though social media the messages claimed this incident was a tactic by Nalin to create fear among the police, the MP clarified he was angry over the dealy in releasing the workers. "Thousands of workers had come to attend the Mangaluru Chalo rally. The police arrested all of us and released us immediately. But about 25 workers were arrested and kept in a room without allowing them to have lunch. These workers called me and I asked the police commissioner who said that they would be released shortly. But round 2.30 pm I got to know they were still not released," Nalin told DC.
