ctivists who had been agitating for an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Raichur disrupted the BJP’s Raitha Chaitanya Yatra in Raichur district on Friday.
BJP national vice-president and the former Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa, faced the agitation on Friday morning in Sindhanur when he was moving towards Manvi for joining the yatra. He somehow pacified the agitators by supporting the demand for IIT in Raichur and left for Manvi.
As the BJP leaders entered Manvi by noon on Friday, intense agitations erupted at multiple locations. Congress party workers, led by Hampayya Naik, MLA, stopped the vehicles of Mr. Yeddyurappa, Shobha Karandlaje, B. Sriramulu and other leaders at Valmiki circle showing black flags and raising slogans against the BJP.
The situation calmed down only when Mr. Yeddyurappa came to agitating activists and supported the cause. The agitators asked him why he could not convince his own party leaders at Union government for establishing IIT in Raichur. The former chief minister assured that he would meet and try to convince his party leaders and left the spot.
Unsatisfied by his response, the agitators started raising slogans against BJP leaders for “conspiring” to snatch the IIT from Raichur.
The activists shouted against the Congress and the State government for its “opportunistic” stand on the issue. Soon it turned into a clash between the Congress and the BJP activists. Some people pelted stones and damaged three public transport vehicles. The police, led by Superintendent of Police, Chetan Singh Rathor, resorted to a mild lathi-charge to disperse the mob and brought the situation under control. Three people were injured in the clashes.
After BJP leaders left Valmiki circle, they were again stopped by IIT Horata Samiti activists, led by president Basavaraj Kalasa, at Basaveshwara circle.
A government vehicle was damaged in the clash. “The State government should have proposed Raichur alone for the institute. If Chief Minister Siddaramaiah takes an all-party delegation to the Union government for demanding IIT for Raichur, I will join it,” Mr. Yeddyurappa told the agitators.
Later, while addressing a public meeting organised as part of the yatra, Mr. Yeddurappa, attacked the Congress and Mr. Siddaramaiah for “playing games” on the issue.
