BS Yediyurappa's home attacked, protesters lathicharged by cops - What's happening in Karnataka?
1 min read 27 Mar 2023, 07:00 PM ISTAgitating members of the Banjara community targeted BJP strongman BS Yediyurappa’s house in Shikaripura town and resorted to stone-pelting on Monday. Some policemen were injured during the protest, prompting a lathicharge to disperse the crowd.
PremiumFurious protests broke out in Karnataka on Monday, with police resorting to lathicharge in Shivamogga and Section 144 being implemented in the area. Amid calls for the government to drop the Justice Sadasiva Commission report, members of the Banjara community also allegedly attacked former chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s residence.
“Local Congress leaders are instigating people. The Congress is unable to digest the social justice done to every community and it resorted to inciting violence. Banjara community should not fall for any hearsay," CM Basavaraj Bommai told reporters.
The protests came in response to a recently proposed reservation bill. The BJP-led Karnataka government has recommended a new reservation breakup for the scheduled castes for education and jobs. Under the new proposal to the Centre, the 17% SC reservation will include a 6% internal quota for SC (Left), 5.5% for SC (Right), 4.5% for touchables (Banjara, Bhovi, Korcha, Kuruma etc) and 1% for others.
Yediyurappa however insisted that the Banjara community had ‘misunderstood’ the situation.
“There is some confusion among Banjara community leaders, I'll speak with them and I'll also take the leaders to CM as well so that if there are any grievances then those will be solved. I'll speak to the leaders in a day or two. I don't blame anyone or Congress for this incident. Banjara community helped me to become CM…" the BJP leader asserted.
Visuals shared on social media showed hundreds of people gathering in the area, throwing stones at the senior BJP leader's residece and burning posters of Yediyurappa and Bommai. Security personnel resorted to lathicharging the protesters and wielding water cannons in order to disperse the crowd. Prohibitory orders have since been clamped in the area.
The development also comes mere weeks before the Karnataka Assembly elections (dates are yet to be announced) at a time when a series of high profile politicians have visited the state.
(With inputs from agencies)
