<p>The state BJP on Monday staged a statewide protest against the state government for “misusing” the police to target journalists, its sympathisers and workers.</p>.<p>“Home Minister M B Patil is acting as a dictator. He has been targeting journalists and BJP workers for posting comments on social media. Police arrested journalist S A Hemanth Kumar recently on baseless charges,” former deputy chief minister R Ashoka said while staging a protest along with the other party leaders in Bengaluru.</p>.<p>Accused the Home minister of misusing the police officers to target his political rivals, Ashoka said the journalist was arrested at the behest of the minister. “He had only posted a letter (purportedly written by the minister to Congress leader on the Lingayat religion issue) that was forwarded<br />to him by someone on social media” state BJP vice president Tejaswini Ananth Kumar said.</p>.<p>Ashoka further predicted that the Congress-JD(S) coalition government will collapse after May 23. People of the state will teach the alliance partners a befitting lesson in the elections, he added.</p>
<p>The state BJP on Monday staged a statewide protest against the state government for “misusing” the police to target journalists, its sympathisers and workers.</p>.<p>“Home Minister M B Patil is acting as a dictator. He has been targeting journalists and BJP workers for posting comments on social media. Police arrested journalist S A Hemanth Kumar recently on baseless charges,” former deputy chief minister R Ashoka said while staging a protest along with the other party leaders in Bengaluru.</p>.<p>Accused the Home minister of misusing the police officers to target his political rivals, Ashoka said the journalist was arrested at the behest of the minister. “He had only posted a letter (purportedly written by the minister to Congress leader on the Lingayat religion issue) that was forwarded<br />to him by someone on social media” state BJP vice president Tejaswini Ananth Kumar said.</p>.<p>Ashoka further predicted that the Congress-JD(S) coalition government will collapse after May 23. People of the state will teach the alliance partners a befitting lesson in the elections, he added.</p>