In Bengaluru, Congress and JDS leaders and former IAS officer Sasikanth Senthil, who recently resigned from service, were part of a 800-strong crowd of protesters who converged at Town Hall.
BENGALURU: The protests against the controversial citizenship law spread across Karnataka — from Ballari to Bengaluru and from Mysuru to Mangaluru. On Monday, thousands of people took to the streets in different parts of the state and police had to clamp prohibitory orders and even resort to lathicharge.
In Mangaluru, police lathicharge members of student organisation Campus Front of India for blocking the city’s arterial road over a protest against the law and also against the alleged police brutality in Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University. Police also registered cases against around 60 students, who blocked the traffic near Jyothi circle in the city.
In Bengaluru, Congress and JDS leaders and former IAS officer Sasikanth Senthil, who recently resigned from service, were part of a 800-strong crowd of protesters who converged at Town Hall. However, as there was no prior permission sought by the protesters, the police were forced to disperse the gathering at about 5.30 pm.
Senthil said, “Protest is absolutely required as yesterday was a dark day in the history of the country. I have always said this regime is against universities and independent institutions. What was so shameful in the whole scenario was chasing students into their campuses and beating them up to send a message to people protesting (against the Citizenship Law). I appeal to all the students to show their solidarity in a non-violent way against these attacks on students.”
Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy said just because BJP has the majority they cannot pass a bill against the people’s opinion. “We have the right to stage protests against the law. So we have gathered here to make the central government realise the entire country is against their decision,” she said. The gathering launched a signature campaign and has plans to protest on a larger scale in the next few days after seeking police permission.
JDS leader Tanveer Ahmed told the media that the police forced them to vacate the place though they were protesting peacefully. Thousands of people took part in a protest rally in Hospet town in Ballari district, demanding that the government roll back the new law, while activists of Muslim organisations blocked traffic in Yadgir City and Shahapur towns.
In Mysuru, over 6,000 people gathered at the Town Hall premises despite prohibitory orders and raised slogans against the law and National Register of Citizens. Meanwhile, in Chief Minister’s home district Shivamogga, the police took Congress leaders into custody for protesting against the new law, while in Kalaburgi, activists of progressive organisations took out a candlelight march condemning Delhi Police action against students of Jamia University.
