BJP leaders and activists staged a protest by organising rail roko against the extension of Matsyagandha train to Thiruvananthapuram. They said the train should ply between Mangalore-Mumbai and urged the restoration of the stop facility at Udupi for Janshatabdi train.

The protest was led by MP Manorama Madhvaraj, former MLA Raghupathy Bhat, former Medical Education Minister Dr V S Acharya, District BJP President Kota Srinivas Poojary, Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar, Kaup MLA Lalaji Mendon and others. The train was stopped for 20 minutes.

Speaking on the occasion, Raghupathy Bhatt alleged that UPA Government is following a step- motherly attitude towards the State. Even though there are three State leaders in the Union government, this region is deprived of many facilities including railways.

Konkan Railway was the dream project of George Fernandes aiming at providing train facilities to the people of this region, he added.  Mr Bhat also said that extending the Matsyagandha train to Tiruvananthapuram which operated between Mangalore and Mumbai is a conspiracy to facilitate the Malayalis, brushing aside the interest of the people of this region.

BJP leaders threatened to intensify their protest if the demands are not met immediately. MP Manorama Madhvaraj strongly condemned this unfair treatment by the Union Government towards Karnataka. BJP leaders were arrested and later released.