JOIN USResidents protest against HUDA chairman
Residents of Vijayanagar Layout in the city staged a protest demonstration in front of the deputy commissioner’s office here on Monday, seeking resignation of Hassan Urban Development Authority (HUDA) chairman Navile Annappa for allegedly insulting them.
The protestors, who took out a rally from the Hemavathi statue to the DC’s office, continued the rally to the HUDA office after submitting a memorandum to the DC, seeking public apology or resignation of Annappa.
They said Annappa used foul language and insulted the members of Vijayanagar Layout Welfare Association when they met him at his office to air their grievances and urge him to use the funds generated by auctioning corner sites for the development of the layout itself. The other demands were postponement of public auction of corner sites in the layout, construction of a water tank to solve drinking water problem and implementation of the second phase of underground drainage system.
Annappa alleged that the protest was politically motivated as he was fighting against an alleged land scam involving MLA H S Prakash.
Admitting that he shouted ‘get out’ at the people who went to meet him at his office, he said the residents have all the rights to spell out their grievances and demands, but they started raising questions about administrative issues.
He said: “They asked me why was the minimum auction price for corner sites hiked and demanded accounts for the funds generated from sites’ auction. There are competent authorities in the government set-up to audit the income and expenses of the organisation. The residents have no business to seek explanation. The layout had been neglected since 1992, now works worth over Rs 6 crore are under progress. When residents demanded two borewells for water, we dug up four. Such being the case, the motive behind the protest is obvious.”
Protest against rapists
Girl students, under the banner of Akhila Bharatha Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) staged a stir demanding immediate punishment to the accused in the gang rape incident of a student in Delhi recently.
Taking out a protest rally from the Hemavathy statue in Hassan district on Monday, they culminated at the deputy commissioner’s office. They blamed the Centre for not taking any steps for the protection of women, though such incidents have been reported regularly from various parts. The incident has created fear among the girl students across the country.
The students demanded the accused be hung in public.The protests would be intensified if the Centre fails to announce death sentence immediately, they warned. Rohit, Ranjitha, Indu, Preethi, Savitha, Chaintanya and others of ABVP participated in the protest.