A face off between BJP workers and farmers agitating over the Mahadayi river water dispute led to a tense situation at Nargund in Gadag district.
Nearly 100 BJP workers arrived at the venue of the indefinite strike by farmers protesting over the issue and entered into a verbal exchange with Karnataka Raitha Sena leader Veeresh Sobaradmath and others, reported The Hindu.
BJP workers raised objections against his supporters holding a protest outside the BJP party office in Bengaluru last week. The workers protested against the farmers group and raised slogans against Sobaradmath, burnt tyres and blocked the roads.
While news channels reported that BJP workers assaulted Sobaradmath at the venue of the indefinite strike however, the workers have denied the allegation. Police who rushed to the spot after being informed about the face-off denied that there was any violence at the venue.
Sobaradmath's close aide and Raitha Sena Karnataka state vicepresident Shankar Ambali told Times Of India that about 50 BJP workers came on stage. "The BJP workers argued with Sobaradmath. They roughed him up and beat him for protesting against BJP," Ambali alleged.
Meanwhile, Vasanna, a BJP worker, said no party worker had attacked Sobaradmath. "I am a farmer and was part of the protest. On Sunday, there was an argument between the party workers and Sobaradmath. Party workers asked him why the protest is staged only against BJP. There was chaos at the spot, but we tried to cool it down. However, there was no physical attack on Sobaradmath," he said speaking to Times of India.
Gadag Superintendent of Police Santosh Babu denied reports of an assault on Sobaradmath but admitted there was an argument between the two parties.
Sobaradmath was addressing the protesters as the movement agitating against sharing of Mahadyi river waters crossed its 900th day on Sunday.