JOIN USCong leaders attack BJP govt for 'misrule'
The Congress party took out a massive rally against the BJP government and its “misrule” in the last four years here on Saturday. The rally began at the Freedom Park.
Urging his party leaders and workers to ready themselves to defeat the saffron party during the forthcoming Assembly elections, Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah said the people of the State had lost faith in the BJP.
He said the BJP had given the State three chief ministers and no governance.
He dubbed the incumbent, Jagadish Shettar, the “weakest” chief minister in the State’s history.
Siddaramaiah said Shettar lacked control over his Cabinet colleagues, while he had failed to take into confidence his own partymen and legislators.
KPCC president G Parameshwara said the youth of the State were disappointed and let down by the BJP leaders.
Almost all senior leaders of the State Congress, who took part in the rally - ‘perform or quit,’ called by Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (KPYCC) were arrested by the police at Maurya Junction, as they were proceeding to besiege and protest in front of the chief minister's official residence ‘Cauvery’.
Leader of the Opposition in the Council S R Patil, D K Shivakumar, KPYCC president Rizwan Arshad, A Krishnappa and Ramalinga Reddy were among those present. The rally led to a major traffic gridlock for about an hour.
The police intercepted the rally near Maurya Circle and denied the leaders permission to proceed further.
Tension prevailed as senior Congress leaders tried breaking the police cordon and moving on. As Parameshwara tried to push forward, the police arrested all the senior Congress leaders. Tension ensued as the leaders were taken away and Congress workers clashed with the police.
The police had to resort to a mild lathicharge to control the situation. In all, more than 150 Congress workers, including all senior Congress leaders, were arrested.
They were taken to the Cubbon Park police station and released in the afternoon.