High drama at D K Suresh's house; police cane protesting BJP workers

Bengaluru: Members of the BJP yuva morcha, on Sunday, tried to lay siege to the residence of Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha member D K Suresh. 

Suresh recently said that the southern states may think of seceding from the country, if the Union government continues to deny them legitimate share of funds for development. 

The MP's reaction to the interim union budget had kicked off a row, with BJP demanding his apology and resignation as MP.

As members of yuva morcha tried to break the security cordon, police swung into action and detained most of the protestors. They baton-charged the protestors to disperse them.

Asserting that the BJP would not tolerate any statement against the country, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said party workers were injured in the lathi charge.

Vijayendra said, "The Congress government is promoting goondaism through police. We will not tolerate anyone who speaks against the sovereignty of the country. The fight against such people will not stop till they apologise,” he said in a post on X.  

Lashing out at the Congress government, leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said in a post on X, “Police action on our party workers proved that the Congress would go to any extent to suppress the voice of protest,” he said, appealing to Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara to take action against those policemen who resorted to baton charging. 

Suresh told reporters that the BJP was protesting against something that he had not said.

"I never said that the country should be divided. I am clear in what I have said. I have raised the issue of discrimination between states in fund allocation." 

On the BJP’s protest, he said everyone had the right to speak and protest in a democracy.

“I welcome it. The BJP is trying to politicise the issue by twisting my statements and sending a different message for electoral gains,” the MP said.