JOIN USRampaging supporters of MLA cause traffic gridlock
Hundreds of motorists were left stranded when the supporters of M Krishnappa, MLA from Vijayanagar, took to the streets on Sunday morning, after he was denied a ministerial berth.
The supporters staged a protest in Vijayanagar, West of Chord Road, Nayandahalli Junction and surrounding areas which resulted in traffic congestion.
They also burnt tyres on the road showing their anger against the state government. Protestors barged into the Metro station and created trouble.
Abhilash Iyer, an engineering student and resident of Vijayanagar, told Deccan Herald, “I was coming back from my coaching classes and noticed that the traffic was piled up on Vijayanagar main road. I was stuck for more than 40 minutes and saw smoke billowing. It was only when I parked my bike in bylane and walked down that I found that a group of people setting fire to tyres.”
“The mob went from one junction to another junction, setting fire to tyres and the traffic came to a standstill. Several policemen were deployed, but they were unable to control the crowd. It is not justified to show dissent by causing inconvenience to the public, some of whom may be in a hurry to attend emergency work,” he said.
Another motorist Kumar Krishna, a businessman and resident of Magadi Road, said “This is not the first time a protest is taking place in the centre of the city. The police or the government have not learnt any lessons from previous incidents. Everytime something like this happens, it is the common man who gets affected,” he said.
‘Silly reason’
“These protestors also barged into the Vijayanagar Metro station and created trouble. These people should be dealt in such a way that they would not indulge in such activities again. It is foolish for them to protest for a silly reason like this. It is time that the police departement wakes up,” he said.
A few protestors climbed on to a BMTC bus and raised slogans, while another group of people tried to damage the road divider in Vijayanagar. Vehicles moved at snail’s pace till Kengeri on Mysuru Road due to the blockade. There were traffic jams at Chandra Layout, RPC Layout, Pipeline Road, Nagarabhavi, Kalyan Nagar, Mudalapalya, Govindarajanagar, Marenalli, Bapujinagar and GKW Layout.
The police diverted vehicles to the service roads. Additional men were deployed at the junctions to guide the road users. Normalcy was restored at around 4 pm.
Retain Ambi in ministry: Film chamber
The Karnataka Film Chamber has requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to continue actor Ambareesh (in pic) in the ministry.
“The Chamber requests the chief minister to continue Ambareesh in the ministry, considering his contributions and image,” the Chamber president S R Govindu told Deccan Herald.
“We have made the request, but do not intend to stage any protest,” he clarified. A few producers said that they would hold a protest against the chief minister’s decision, but the Chamber is in no way connected to such protest.