'Drunk' man throws packet of chocolates at CM

 Tension prevailed for a while at Ravindra Kalakshetra on Sunday morning when an inebriated man threw a packet containing chocolates at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and raised an alarm that the cover contained a bomb.

The chief minister’s security personnel seized the cover and opened it, only to find a few pieces of chocolates inside. They detained the man, identified as B H J Prasad. The incident took place during the golden jubilee celebration of Udayabhanu Kala Sangha.

Prasad claimed to be a Bahujan Samaj Party leader and said that he targeted Siddaramaiah as he had not done anything for the Bahujan community.

Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar, former Chief Justice of India M N Venkatachalaiah, former High Court judge Justice A J Sadashiva and writers Siddalingaiah and M H Krishnaiah were on the dais when he threw the packet. Prasad, who was seated on the first row, stood up as Siddaramaiah approached the mike. Prasad shouted: “Chief Minister, tell us what measures you have initiated for the welfare of our community?” When Siddaramaiah asked which community, Prasad referred to the Bahujan community. Soon, he started shouting.

The police detained him and he went towards the exit. Prasad then threw the packet at Siddaramaiah and said that it had a bomb. The security personnel immediately seized the packet. Siddaramaiah downplayed the incident and said that he was committed to the welfare of all sections.

‘Kannada should get importance’

At the event, Siddaramaiah stressed the importance of Kannada language in Karnataka.
“Kannada should get prime importance in Karnataka and committed efforts should be made in this regard,” he said.

“No language can be pure and a language will grow richer if it absorbs words from other languages,” he added. 

The chief minister promised financial assistance for the proposed golden jubilee building of the Sangha.

Bengaluru Darshana, a book from the Sangha, introduces Bengaluru City in all its aspects. It contains impressions of more than 300 artistes, writers, thinkers and others.