Siddaramaiah is anti-Lingayat, should apologise for lathi-charge: Seer slams Karnataka CM

The seer demanded that state government apologise for its act of lathi-charging Lingayat community members, take action against the concerned police officials and suspend them. He also also called on the withdrawal of cases filed against Lingayat community members.

Belagavi: Basav Jaymritunjay Swamiji of Panchamsali Peetha, Kudalsangam on Wednesday alleged that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been lying that he had invited leaders of the Lingayat Panchamsali community for talks regarding 2A reservation.

If the Chief Minister cannot meet the community's reservation demands, he should clarify the same and we shall decide on how to take the movement forward, seer Jaymrityunjay said.

Siddaramaiah and the state government should apologise for the lathi-charge against the Lingayat community members, he added, saying that the CM was anti-Lingayat.

The seer told reporters here on Wednesday that the community had been holding protests in support of its demands for nearly four years in a peaceful manner.

"No government obstructed our protests nor filed cases against community members. We had organised protest on Tuesday as there was no response from the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah for 18 months. Despite our office bearers and community members being threatened, they organised themselves to protest in large numbers," he said.

"The community members wanted the CM to come to the protest site and respond to their demands. Three ministers who came informed that they had come to hear us but there was no word from them on meeting our demands. As the CM did not come, we decided to go to Suvarna Vidhan Soudha to see him," he added.

The seer further alleged that police personnel pelted stones on them.

"Police resorting to lathi-charge on community members indicates that there were orders from highest level and it was a premeditated decision. We have seen Lingayat and non-Lingayat CMs in the state, but none of them had resorted to lathi-charge against the community, but the Siddaramaiah government lathi-charged, which shows he is anti-Lingayat," the seer said.

He demanded that state government apologise for its act of lathi-charging Lingayat community members, take action against the concerned police officials and suspend them. The seer also called on the withdrawal of cases filed against Lingayat community members.

The seer further said that the Lingayat Panchamsali community members would protest against the lathi-charge and for reservation demands at Kondaskoppa near the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha from December 16, (Monday) until the session period from 10 am to 6 pm.

He also denied that the community's members were in contempt of court.

"Violence was unleashed by police when we were proceeding towards the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha. Let the district administration approach the court, our legal team will also present our side," he said.

On a query about the Karnataka State Backward Castes Federation members submitting a memorandum to the Chief Minister opposing 2A reservation for the Lingayat Panchamsali community, the seer quipped that the CM was wise and must have sought such memorandum.

"If the state government if cannot meet the demand for 2A reservation, it should atleast give us 2D reservation given by previous BJP government," he asserted.