As many as 35 Youth Congress activists who tried to picket the residence of B.S. Yeddyurappa, president, Bharatiya Janata Party State unit, in the city on Sunday in protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Karnataka were arrested by the police.
The activists gathered near the leader’s residence at Vinobha Nagar at 9.30 a.m. K. Ranganath, a Youth Congress functionary, demanded that Mr. Modi intervene in the Mahadayi water sharing dispute. As BJP is in power in Goa, Mr. Modi should direct the CM there to allow Karnataka to use Mahadayi water in drought-hit areas of North Karnataka, he said. He said based on the model of the decision taken by the Congress government in Karnataka in June last year to waive the crop loan borrowed by the farmers from cooperative banks, the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre should waive the crop loan borrowed from nationalised banks.
The police resorted to mild caning. Five activists including Mr. Ranganath, Ranjith, Girish, Kiran and Pradeep, who sustained injuries were hospitalised. The protesters were arrested and taken to the office of District Armed Reserve Police. Cases under Section 71 of Karnataka Police Act, 1963, have been booked against them.
In Shikaripur town, the police arrested 13 Youth Congress activists of the who tried to picket Mr. Yeddyurappa’s residence at Malerakeri.
