Nearly 300 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists, led by State president Pralhad Joshi, were detained by the police as they attempted to hold a dharna in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Vidhana Soudha premises on Thursday.
Leaders, including former Chief Ministers B.S. Yeddyurappa and Jagdeesh Shettar and former Ministers K.S. Eshwarappa, Shobha Karandlaje, S. Suresh Kumar among others stormed the Vidhana Soudha premises demanding that all Ministers facing charges be dropped from the Cabinet.
Tension prevailed when the police refused to allow them to hold the dharna. While Ms. Karandlaje, who was successful in reaching the statue, was arrested, other leaders were detained as soon as they entered the Vidhana Soudha premises through the East Gate.
Mr. Joshi said that stopping them from holding a peaceful dharna amounted to “curbing the rights of legislators”. He said they would hold another dharna on December 2 and a rally in Belagavi during the legislature session beginning on December 9.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended his Cabinet colleagues against whom there are allegations of land-grabbing. “During BJP’s tenure, there were FIRs filed against three Ministers — V. Somanna, R. Ashok and K.S. Eshwarappa. Two of them were Deputy Chief Ministers. Why were they not dropped?” he said.
Protest at sessionThe BJP has now decided to hold a demonstration on the opening day of the winter session of the legislature in Belagavi demanding the resignation four Ministers facing charges in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet.
Mr. Joshi said they would highlight the failure of the Congress government in maintaining law and order and preventing crimes against women and children in the State.