'Won't commit heinous acts': Kannadiga outfit 'honours' MSRTC bus driver, conductor amid row with Maharashtra

'MES and Shiv Sena members are attacking bus drivers and conductors from Karnataka in various places including Solapur and Pune. We will not commit such heinous acts. We are honouring you with respect and warning the Maharashtra miscreants not to bother Kannadigas,' members of the oufit said as they offered shawls to the driver and conductor.

Kalaburagi: Condemning the attack on Karnataka transport corporation bus drivers and conductors in Maharashtra, members of the Jai Karnataka organisation 'felicitated' a Maharashtra transport corporation bus driver and conductor in the city on Saturday.

The organisation leaders stopped a Maharashtra bus near the Aland check post. Raising slogans against the MES and the Shiv Sena, they warned, "If you insult Kannadigas, we will give a befitting reply."

"MES and Shiv Sena members are attacking bus drivers and conductors from Karnataka in various places including Solapur and Pune. We will not commit such heinous acts. We are honouring you with respect and warning the Maharashtra miscreants not to bother Kannadigas," they said.

The driver and conductor were offered shawls. Yellow and red colours were symbolically marked on their faces. They wrote ‘Jai Kannada’ on the rear glass of the bus. They expressed anger by applying black paint on the registration number plates of the bus.

Organisation district president Mallikarjuna Saravada said, "Kannadigas are peace-loving people. We will not attack you (Maharashtra drivers and conductors) in retaliation for the attack on our people in Maharashtra. If our self-respect is hurt, we will show what our strength is. The miscreants of MES and Shiv Sena should stop their misbehaviour. If they continue like this, we will teach them a fitting lesson."

Organisation's leaders Arya Singhe, Pintu Kshatriya, Sharanagouda Patil, Sanju Sultanpur and others were present.