Bengaluru: The week-long protests by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists ended on Monday after they submitted a memorandum to Governor Vajubhai Vala, seeking arrest of the representatives of Amnesty International India and handing over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Since August 14, the ABVP was holding protests every day seeking action against the NGO for organising the ‘Broken Families’ event, where anti-national slogans were allegedly shouted. After Friday’s lathi-charge on the agitators at the NGO’s office in Indiranagar, the student outfit had launched an overnight protest on Saturday.
On Monday morning, the agitators had planned a ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo’ from Maurya Circle and more than 2,000 activists had gathered. As they started marching towards Raj Bhavan, the police stopped them at Freedom Park and did not permit them to carry out the rally till Raj Bhavan citing law and order, and traffic problem. The police tried to convince the agitators that Police Commissioner N.S. Megharikh himself would meet them at the Freedom Park, but the activists did not agree.
Later, the police convinced the activists that they would only make arrangements for a delegation to meet the Governor, for which the agitators agreed. The police took a delegation of six members, led by ABVP National Secretary Vinay Bidare, to the Raj Bhavan in a police vehicle.
The delegation met the Governor and submitted him a memorandum that had various demands. Banning of Amnesty International India, handing over the case to NIA, action against the state government for trying to protect the accused were some of their demands. The Governor told the delegation that he was aware of the case and he would seek a report from the government.
Later, a copy of the memorandum was also submitted to the Police Commissioner. Mr Bidare said that the ABVP is withdrawing the protest as of now and will pursue the case legally. “We will move the court against the police inaction against the accused. We will hold a meeting and decide on the next course,” he said.
BJP leaders B.S. Yeddyurappa, Jagadish Shettar, V. Somanna, retired police officer Ashok Kumar, military veterans and others took part in the protest on Monday.
Meanwhile, vehicular movement came to a standstill on Sheshadri Road when the agitators started a rally towards Raj Bhavan and were stopped at Freedom Park. Traffic at Anand Rao Circle, Race Course Road, Mysuru Bank Circle, Basaveshwara Circle, K.R. Circle, Gandhinagar, and surrounding areas was hit for more than an hour. Heavy police deployment was made in wake of the protest.
Haven’t given clean chit to Amnesty: Dr G Parameshwar
Under attack over the Amnesty International row, Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwar on Monday said that he has not given a clean chit to the rights advocacy group, which has been booked for sedition for hosting an event where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised.
“First of all, let me clarify because there is a lot of talk in the media about it.... Let me be very clear, I have not given any clean chit to Amnesty International," he told reporters here as he went into damage after his remarks drew sharp criticism.
“All I have said is that I have not heard Amnesty International being involved in any anti-national activity. Second thing is, there is an investigation going on, and I am not a fool to say that everything is well" he said.
“Of course, I have been misinterpreted. That is why I did not want to react to it unnecessarily," he added. "Now that the investigation is going on, the law will take its own course. That's all I have said and I am also standing by that statement," he said.
He said he is not going to interfere with the probe as home minister and it has been left to the police to decide on the next course of action against Amnesty International.
