Protest against BJP for trying to topple govt

Senior leaders of the coalition partners, Congress and JD(S), including H D Deve Gowda and Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Wednesday led a march to Raj Bhavan, condemning the BJP’s efforts to topple the government.

JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda described the political situation in Karnataka as worse than Emergency and said that he had not seen anything like it in 60 years of public life. “I feel that the present situation is worse than the Emergency. D K Shivakumar (Congress minister) went to the hotel but was denied entry despite having booked a room there... I have not seen anything like this in my 60 years of political life,” he said.

Gowda also urged all political parties to come together, setting aside their differences, to save democracy, which, he said, was under threat. He was speaking prior to a march to Raj Bhavan.

Azad said the BJP has been trying to destabilise all non-BJP government across the country. Democracy is under threat. The saffron party in Karnataka is poaching rival party MLAs offering money. The Congress will condemn it, he added.

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah warned that Congress and JD(S) workers would not keep quiet and would stage protests wherever BJP leaders went in Karnataka. “I tell you that our workers will not let you travel in the state. We will create a situation that you will not be able to meet people,” the Congress leader said. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, senior leaders Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge courted arrest after they were prevented from marching towards the Raj Bhavan. Following this, the leaders squatted on the road in protest.