Karnataka Authorities Allegedly Ignoring Panchamasali Demonstration, Asserts Seer
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Belagavi, Dec 10 (NationPress) Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basavaraj Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami claimed on Tuesday that the Karnataka government is attempting to ignore the ongoing Panchamasali protests.
He also requested reservation under the 2A category.
“The state government is attempting to overlook the protest. They have also placed restrictions on vehicles and denied us a location to demonstrate. Despite these challenges, 50,000 individuals participated in the protest,” stated the seer.
He further asserted that they conducted the protests in a “democratic” manner, yet the advocates, women, and farmers involved were forcibly dispersed.
“Siddaramaiah is accountable for all of this. We will plan our future protests strategically. The government will face repercussions for the high-handedness exhibited today,” the seer declared.
He also accused the Congress of securing votes from the Panchamasali Lingayats and subsequently neglecting their rights. “Our sole request was for Siddaramaiah to address us and provide assurance. The three ministers who approached us did not offer any guarantees but merely stated they were aware of our concerns. Had Siddaramaiah come forward to assure us, the issue would have been resolved,” he explained.
He additionally mentioned that the police attempted to “assault” him, but members of his community defended him. “They even tried to detain me. Had they laid a finger on me, the entirety of Karnataka would have erupted in chaos,” he asserted.
He alleged that the police acted with force against 50 individuals who sustained injuries.
The Panchamasali Lingayats community's agitation escalated into violence when a mob hurled stones at the police and tried to encircle the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.
The police intervened to halt protesters from proceeding to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, warning them that they could not continue their march. Law enforcement officials claimed that the demonstrators retaliated by throwing stones and footwear at them, prompting a lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
