In veiled warning to BJP, Karnataka HM says police will cane protesters

Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday indirectly cautioned the Opposition BJP that the police may resort to caning to disperse anyone who tries to cause inconvenience to the public in the name of protests. 

The minister’s warning comes in the wake of the BJP announcing its plans to launch a statewide ‘rasta roko’ (roadblock) protest against the Congress government’s decision to hike fuel prices, across all Assembly constituencies, except Bengaluru, on Thursday. 

Parameshwara said the government had no qualms if the BJP wanted to hold protests, but it should not cause inconvenience to the public.

“If it causes any public inconvenience, the police knows how to clear the way for people, even if it requires caning to disperse the protesters,” he said.

He said the BJP has already held protests over the same issue across the state last week and protests of such nature (roadblock) need permission from the police. 

Cycle rally

The saffron party has planned a ‘cycle jatha’ under the leadership of its state president B Y Vijayendra, from the party’s state headquarters to Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Thursday, in protest against the increase in fuel prices.

“We will not back down, irrespective of the warning by the chief minister or the home minister,” N Ravikumar, the party’s chief whip in the Legislative Council,
said.   

“The Congress government has raised property tax, motor vehicle tax and excise on liquor. The party has transferred these funds to Congress high command,” he charged.