The landmark Kittur Chennamma Circle in Hubballi witnessed blockade for over two hours on Friday with the members of Pro Hindutva organisations and BJP staging a protest condemning the Madikeri incident and the government’s decision to celebrate ‘Tippu Jayanti’.
Amid heavy bandobast by the Hubballi Police, the members of Vishwa Hindu Parishat, Bajarang Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gathered in good number at Kittur Chennamma Circle and then blocked the important junction in accordance with the announcement they had made on Thursday.
The protestors formed human chain around the circle where as many as seven roads converge. The protestors then sung bhajans to register their protest against the state government’s decision of celebrate Tippu Jayanti and condemning the violence at Madikeri in which a VHP leader was killed.
Subsequently BJP State President Pralhad Joshi, Vice President M. Nagaraj, Secretary Ravikumar and others joined them and raised slogans against the state government.
Earlier members of Pro Hindutva organisations and BJP including Jayateerth Katti, Ghanu Jartarghar, Umesh Dushi, HDMC councillors Laxman Gandgalekar, Shivanand Muttannavar, Shivu Menasinakai, former councillors Ranga Baddi, Nagesh Kalburgi and others arrived at the circle in a protest march. They held placards condemning the Madikeri incident and urging the state government to withdraw its order on celebration of Tippu Jayanti.
Police Commissioner Pandurang Rane and other senior officials personally monitored the bandobast and several of the protestors were prevented from not going beyond the KC Circle during their protest.
In the wake of the protest, the Police had diverted the vehicular movement through alternate routes. And consequently the traffic congestion was witnessed on these roads to which the traffic was diverted.
A similar protest was staged in Dharwad by members of Hindutva organisations.
