Venting their anger against the state government which resorted to arrest floor leader in the house MLA H D Revanna and his followers in Bangalore on Monday, the activists in Hassan held rasta-roko and protests across the district.
Activists took to streets at Hassan, Channarayapatna, Arsikere and other places while few more forced closure of shops and business establishments. Though people did pay heed to their demands and closed the shops, they reopened for business in a short while, defying the unspoken order.
In other parts of the district, the expression of protest was rather peaceful, but in Hassan city, it assumed a different shade altogether with buses being damaged on Channapatna bypass road. They allegedly stooped to the level of overpowering the conductor of another bus, assaulted him and escaped with the money he had collected over the bus trips. Zilla Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat and Municipality members were arrested for holding the protests. Overall, protests ended on a peaceful note, except for a few stray incidents.
Support for Gowda
While former prime minister Deve Gowda and his follower-legislators sat on a dharna before the Chief Minister’s residence in Bangalore, Gowda’s supporters carried out a protest march expressing solidarity with their leader. That a protest, in support of Deve Gowda’s dharna held in Bangalore, would be held in district was decided much earlier.
But, just as the news of prohibitory orders being clamped around the CM’s official residence and arrest of floor leader H D Revanna trickled in, the protestors went berserk and intensified their stir much to the inconvenience of general public and business establishments.
The activists and workers of the party who were engaged in the protest since morning, arrived at the Deputy Commissioner’s office even while insisting that the business establishments down their shutters for the day, and join them in the protest.
Shouting slogans against state government, the workers wreaked havoc at the premises of DC’s office when the police were forced to intervene and arrest them. Just after they were taken away in some vehicles, Taluk Panchayat members arrived on the spot and raised slogans against the state government. Even they were arrested.
It was during this time that the assault on the conductor was carried out and miscreants escaped with the money. Just after this, Mosale Hosahalli road was blocked in Holenarasipur by placing burnt tyres in the middle of the road. Traffic came to a standstill for over one hour on the road. JD(S) activists held protests at Shantigrama after 2.30 pm and shouted slogans against the state government. Though the protests were held across the district, no untoward incidents were reported from any taluk.