With tensions running high in the state on Tipu Jayanti, close to 140 activists of the BJP and Bajrang Dal, who tried to stage protests in Kalaburgi, Shivamogga and Udupi, were detained by the police.
While police officers in Sagar in Shivamogga arrested 70 activists of the BJP and Bajrang Dal for violating prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC, 50 BJP activists were arrested in Udupi.
When BJP and Bajrang Dal activists gathered near the old police station in Sagar city to stage a protest, the police immediately swung into action and arrested them. The activists were later released, reported The Hindu.
BJP workers in Udupi gathered near the District Commissioner’s office in spite of heavy police presence at the venue. When the workers raised slogans against the government, the police moved to arrest the workers, including prominent leaders like Raghupati Bhat and Mattaru Ratnakar Hegde, according to a report in Daijiworld.
“Every country has its own history. Tipu fought against British in his time. Hence, observing Tipu Jayanti can be justified. When I was the district in-charge minster, there was no publicity of Tipu Jayanti. The opposition is criticizing the celebrations only for the sake of election. They should work towards the unification of society and not its division,” Kaup MLA Vinay Kumar Sorake from the Congress, told media persons.
Meanwhile, 20 activists of the BJP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad were arrested in Kalaburgi district along with seven members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its allied wings, reported The Hindu.
Kodagu was another district where administrators had issued prohibitory orders after communal incidents in earlier Tipu Jayanti celebrations. However, The Hindu reported that there were no major disturbances as celebrations were carried out peacefully in Kodagu.
Southern Range IGP Vipul Kumar had visited Madikeri and held a meeting with police officers of Kodagu district earlier this week. The IGP reportedly asked officers to take strict action against those who try to break peace during the celebrations.
Apart from a stray incident of stone-pelting that damaged a KSRTC bus, there were no other untoward incidents in the district.