The activitists alleged that Zilla Panchayat member A V Poojappa and his supporters had allegedly attacked Taluk Co-ordinator of the Dalit Students Federation Jayanth and Mahesh, for not taking part in the BSP rally which was held in Bangalore recently.
Angered by this act, members of the Students Federation of India, Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat, NSUI and Students’ Unit of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, together held a protest against the incident. A huge protest rally began from the National College premises and passed through the main thoroughfares of the City. The students shouted slogans against Poojappa and urged the authorities concerned to take suitable action against the accused.
Speaking on the occasion, District President of SFI Kagati Nagaraj said, it was inappropriate to seek the participation of the students for the propaganda of a political party. And when the students did not participate in the function, it was a crime to physically assault them, he added.
Another student leader Shrinath said, Poojappa has often played an organising role. He has carved a career in the political field, by participating in the leftist agitations. It was amazing to see to such people involving in such acts, he added.
Student leaders Lakshman Reddy, Lakshminarayan, Jayanth, Ranjith, G Narasimha, Harish, C Manjunath, and several others took part in the protest. A memorandum was submitted to the tahsildar in this regard.