Citizens pay for Congress' anger against Govt

Traffic jam as KPCC takes out a two-wheeler rally against policies

With about 5,000 vehicles participating in the rally, the already crowded route from Bannappa Park to Vidhana Soudha saw hundreds of hapless people stranded on the thoroughfares when the rally took to the roads at 11 am.

Post Office Road, Hudson Circle, Siddalingaiah Circle and Kempe Gowda Road that has no alternative roads were among roads where traffic was affected most. Traffic on Palace Road, Seshadri Road, and Maharani Circle also came to a virtual standstill.

As traffic between K R Circle and Gopala Gowda Circle was  blocked motorists had to use Nrupathunga Road and Cubbon Park.

Although the protestors welcomed the State’s decision to give more teeth to the Lokayukta, they criticised the government for its "anti-people" policies.

Even as the rally was to proceed all the way to the seat of power – Vidhana Soudha – it was put to an abrupt end at K R Circle by the Police, who took as many as 200 protestors into preventive custody, transporting them to CAR Grounds, Adugodi and Cubbon Park and Wilson Garden Police Stations.

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah, KPCC president R V Deshpande, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Motamma, leaders N A  Harris, Krishna Byregowda, Dinesh Gundu Rao and V S Ugrappa were also among the people arrested, at around 1.30 pm.

They were released by 3 pm, DCP (Central) G Ramesh said.

Memorandum to Guv

Meanwhile, some Congress leaders met Governor H R Bhardwaj at Raj Bhavan later in the day and submitted a memorandum to him.

Slamming the Government for what they termed as the 'sordid’ episode of Lokayukta’s resignation and its subsequent withdrawal, they charged it with ‘encouraging’ illegal mining in the State.

Asked about the rationale behind organising such a rally and putting the public to inconvenience, Krishna Byregowda said it was “imminent” as the Government was “looting” iron ore worth Rs 1,500 crore from the State.

“As a responsible Opposition, we have to take action. Don’t expect us to sleep over the matter,” he argued.