The Belagavi Bar Association (BBA) began an indefinite hunger strike on Monday morning to pressurise the State government to formalise a Karnataka Administrative Tribunal bench in the city.
It has called for a Belagavi Bandh on Wednesday, December 3,
Intensifying the agitation, four members - Anil G. Mulwadmath, B.S. Hiremath, Murgendragouda Patil and Ramesh Deshpande – began an indefinite hunger strike at 11.30 a.m. in the district court premises. Anti- corruption activist Sujit Mulgund joined them for a 24-hour fast.
Belagavi’s advocates have been staging dharnas and boycotting court works for over a fortnight. They contend that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Law Minister T.B. Jayachandra and Excise Minister and district in charge Satish L. Jharkiholi have given favourable indications over the demand.
The protesters also picketed Mr. Jharkiholi’s residence in the city and staged a 'rasta roko' (sit-in) on the busy Pune-Bengaluru national highway 4.
BJP MLA Sanjay Patil and the Lingayat Kshema Abhivruddhi Sangha, Belagavi, have also announced their support for a KAT bench here.
