The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Yuva Morcha will hold a ‘Mangalauru Chalo’ motorcycle rally from five cities in the State, starting from September 5 and 6. The rally, being organised to urge the State government to ban the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) and the People’s Front of India (PFI), will culminate in Mangaluru on September 7.
The rally comes a few days after the call given by BJP national president Amit Shah to intensify protests against the Congress government in the State.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, Mysuru MP and State BJP Yuva Morcha president Pratap Simha said the rally from Hubballi would start on September 5, while those from Shivamogga, Mysuru, Bengaluru and Chikkamagaluru would start on September 6. Around 10,000 activists will take part. BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa and other leaders will attend a public meeting to mark the culmination of the rally.
Mr. Simha said despite the “involvement of KFD and PFI activists in a number of murders”, including that of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist Sharath Madiwala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had not taken action to ban the organisations. When asked about the letter written recently by Udupi MP Shobha Karandlaje to Union Home Minister Rajanath Singh in this regard, Mr. Simha said law and order was a State subject and the State government has to initiate action. “The forthcoming rally is to urge the government to take affirmative action,” he said.
When asked about the murders in the State involving right-wing activists, Mr. Simha said: “I am not supporting those who have been arrested. But they were provoked. They reacted to attacks on a section of society.”
