JOIN USMembers of the Youth Congress laid siege to the taluk offices in both districts on Thursday, protesting against the corruption in the State government.
Activists in Kolar laid siege to the tahsildar’s office and staged a protest.
“The last four years have witnessed a steep fall in the governance in the State. Party bias, internal clashes, arrests and release of ministers have proven black marks on the character of the government. The State, however, has seen hardly any progress,” alleged the protesters.
“The State Lokayukta, who took strict action against those guilty of corruption, is yet to be appointed. As a result, officers at the taluk-level are thriving in their acts of graft,” they said and demanded that the State government take a stand that is pro-people, expand the Cabinet and also curb corruption.
“The Chief Minister is single-handedly managing as many as 22 portfolios. This too is a prominent reason for the increase in corruption in the administration. Karnataka has the dubious distinction of being the most corrupt state in the country,” rued the protesters.
Police staff tried to stop the protesters from laying siege to the tahsildar’s office at the gate itself. This, however, led to chaos, with the protesters trying to enter the premises and the police attempting to prevent them.
Mini Soudha locked
Members of Bagepalli taluk unit of the Youth Congress locked up the main entrance to the Mini Vidhana Soudha on Thursday and staged a protest against corruption, illegal mining and the failure of the BJP government in appointing a Lokayukta.
The protesters, led by Taluk Youth Congress president H S Narendra, took out a rally from HN Circle and went through all main roads across the town raising slogans against the BJP government for failing to provide basic amenities to citizens.
They gathered at the Mini Vidhana Soudha, locked up the gates and staged a protest on the road affecting traffic situation.
Addressing the protesters, Narendra said the BJP government’s four-year term had been a complete failure. “They have looted the State through illegal mining. They have also failed to effectively implement the MGNREGA and tackle the drought situation. Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda must immediately dissolve this government,” he demanded.
Congress senior leader B R Narasimha Naidu said the internal bickering and power politics among the BJP leaders had hampered the development of the State. He called upon Youth Congress members to unite in their fight against the BJP government.
In Chikkaballapur
Activists of the Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (KPYCC) laid siege to the taluk office demanding immediate suspension of the State government, accusing it of following anti-people policies.
Locking up the office after a procession from Travellers’ Bungalow through the streets of the City, the protesters said the State government had failed to respond to the problems of the citizens.
K V Rajashekhar, district vice-president of the KPYCC, said, “The BJP government has been giving us a long list of promises, but failed to implement anything that would prove beneficial for the people. It is also facing severe charges of corruption, various scams and irregularities. It has hardly any right to be in power. The Governor should, therefore, immediately dissolve the government.”
He added that the State government, instead of working for the benefit of the people, is struggling to keep itself alive. There is a continuous fight within for power. “The Chief Minister should therefore resign, taking moral responsibility for the irregularities in the government,” he demanded.
Other places
In Kolar Gold Fields, the KPYCC activists took out a procession from Soorajmal Circle in Robertsonpet till the taluk office and locked up the office as a symbolic protest.
Activists in Gauribidanur laid siege to the taluk office.
In Malur, the activists staged a protest outside the taluk office demanding resignation of the BJP government.