B’loreans join the chorus against tainted trio
Ministers’ act has exposed BJP’s true colours, say protesters
Hundreds of activists of various associations held protest rallies in different parts of the City on Wednesday, against three former ministers for watching porn videos in the Assembly.
They blocked the roads for some time and raised slogans against the BJP government and the three ex-ministers. They described the incident as a blot on the State’s image. They demanded stern action against the offenders and sought the dismissal of the BJP government. A large number of women activists participated in the rallies.
Members of Janawadi Mahila Sanghatane (JMS) staged a protest march at Mysore Bank Circle displaying placards and shouting slogans. K S Lakshmi, the JMS secretary, said: “Outfits like RSS, Bajrang Dal and Sriram Sene are yet to react to the incident. These organisations create a ruckus if girls are seen with their boyfriends. But, they are keeping mum when their leaders are involved in a cheap act.”
The protesters were evicted forcibly in just 10 minutes after they had assembled. They were detained at Wilson Garden, SJ Park and Ashok Nagar police stations.
The volunteers shouted slogans against DG&IGP Shankar Bidari for “curbing our freedom of speech and expression”. Activists of All Indian Mahila Samskruthika Sanghatane (AIMSS), All India Democratic Youth Organisation and All India Democratic Students’ Organisation jointly held a protest rally at Mysore Bank Circle.
AIMSS State vice-president Pratibha Kumari demanded that the ex-ministers be stripped of their Assembly membership. “The ministers’ act has exposed the true colours of the ruling party,“ she said.
Communist Party of India (CPI) had also organised a protest rally. The CPI activists termed the act uncivilised, obscene, irresponsible. “They have made the people of the State bow their heads in shame.”
CPI leader K Vishwanath Naik demanded that the Speaker should book criminal cases against them. Samatha Sainik Dal members demanded that the Speaker should cancel the Assembly membership of Savadi, Patil and Palemar. Activists of the two factions of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike blocked roads and termed the act a heinous crime. They demanded that the trio should be banned from contesting elections.
