The Deputy Commissioner’s office premises in Kolar turned into a battleground on Thursday with clashes between police and activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other organisations, who were agitating against the price rise. Some women protesters and the police were injured. The furniture in the office was damaged.
Hundreds of activists of the CPI(M), the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS), the Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane (JMS) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) from different parts of the district came in a procession. Most of them were women, some even carrying children. They raised slogans against the State and Union governments for their failure in containing the prices of essential commodities.
The stir was organised in response to a call given by the CPI(M) State committee to hold a ‘DC office chalo’ in support of the demand to provide food security to the poor.
Along with the State-level demand, the outfits also raised issues pertaining to irregularities in ration depots and in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Initially, the absence of Deputy Commissioner N. Prabhakar reportedly infuriated the protesters and they insisted that he come to the spot to hear their grievances. When Mr. Prabhakar, said to be away in Srinivaspur on official work, failed to turn up, the activists tried to barge into the office. The heavy police contingent had a tough time stopping them. When they picked up CPI(M) State committee member Gandhinagar Narayanswami and CITU leader Yellappa and tried to arrest them, the irate mob surrounded the police van in an attempt to block the police from arresting their leaders. “Don’t arrest only leaders. All of us are ready to court arrest,” they shouted.
During the heated exchange between the police and protesters, some police personnel allegedly trampled several women, besides beating them with lathis. This only infuriated the agitators and they demanded action against the police responsible for the excess.
Later, all the protesters were arrested and lodged at the Police Training Centre premises.
DC’s attitude flayed
“Though we have submitted memorandums regarding some of the issues which could be solved by the Deputy Commissioner himself, Mr. Prabhakar showed scant respect for them. He didn’t even turn up to receive the memorandums of the people,” Mr. Narayanswami said.
