CMC poll venue turns battlefield

Election to the posts of president, vice-president postponed to January 10

As a result, four journalists suffered injuries, nomination papers were teared, Election Officer’s table toppled and Vice-President’s chamber’s windowpanes were damaged, thus marking violent scenes in the election process. Hence, the election to the post of President and Vice-President has been postponed to January 10.

Owing to the cinematic incidents which took place for 10 to 12 minutes, there was tensed situation in CMC premises. The ruling BJP CMC members created chaos and damaged the public property and came in the way of conducting election. As a result, Assistant Commissioner who was also Election Officer was compelled to postpone the election.

Background

The nominations were scrutinised between 9 am and 11 am. BJP Member H B Vijaykumar and Congress-JD(S) member H M Nandakumar had filed their nomination for the post of President. Keshav from BJP, Chitra Devraj from Congress-JD(S) alliance had filed their nomination for the post of Vice-President. In the meantime, BJP Members Latha Bangera, P B Manjula, Independents Prathibha Shetty remained absent in a bid to support Congress-JD(S) alliance. With the vote from MP, MLCs, the BJP would have lost its power in CMC.

Having unable to digest the failure, the BJP members tried to create chaos while processing the nomination papers. The BJP members pelted water bottles and other materials at Vice-President’s chamber and broke the windowpanes, bulbs.

The BJP workers who arrived the spot started pelting stones, injuring four journalists. In fact, AC Dr M R Ravi and Commissioner K Srikanth Rao had a narrow escape from the stone pelting. Two reporters have been admitted to the private hospital. When the incident took place, Congress-JD(S) members had not entered the hall.

BJP members alleged that the Congress members had kidnapped our members and started tearing the nomination papers after toppling the table of the Election Officer. When the situation went out of control, Election Officer postponed the election. Inspite of all the violence that took place in the CMC premises, police personnel remained mute spectators. KSRP, DAR and police personnel were deployed for the security. However, instead of controlling the mob, they allegedly remained silent.

Election Officer Dr M R Ravi has directed CMC Commissioner to file a complaint against all those who came in the way of peaceful election by tearing of the nomination papers and damaging the public property.

In the meantime, MP H Vishwanath, MLCs M C Nanaiah and T John who arrived at the spot had tough time in entering the CMC office. They said “the incident was murder of democracy.”

Scribes to stage stir today

Condemning the pelting of stones at journalists during the election to the post of CMC President and Vice-President, various journalists associations have decided to stage protest in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office on Thursday at 10.30 am.

At a meeting, District Journalists Association, Kodagu Press Club, Kodagu Jilla Patrika Bhavan Trust, Journalists Association of Karnataka condemned the attack on journalists.
The Association members who met IGP (Southernn Range) A N S Moorthy, appraised him of the situation.

The injured reporters are Coorg Channel Reporter Savitha Rai, Shakthi daily’s Kudekal Santhosh, TV9 Reporter Jagadish Belliappa and Kodagu Samachar weekly Editor B N Manu Shenoy.

MLA M P Appachu Ranjan who visited the hospital where two journalists were undergoing treatment, condemned the incident.