Even as the Mangaluru district administration remained firm on refusing permission to the BJP to carry out the ‘Mangalore Chalo’ rally, a senior BJP leader and MP was caught on tape threatening a police officer inside the police station on Thursday.
Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Katil, no stranger to controversies, was seen shouting and slamming the table of inspector Kadri Police Station in Mangaluru in a video footage. The MP also threatened the police, stating that he will bring the city to a halt if his demands are not met.
According to News18, the incident occurred around 3pm when a few BJP party workers who had been detained by the police sought help from the MP, just as the police were about to register cases against the party cadre.
In January, Katil was caught in controversy when he had said, "BJP has the strength to catch and beat up the Communists in Karnataka," at a party event on the issue of violence between the CPI (M) and RSS/ BJP workers in Kerala.
The frustration of the BJP grew on Thursday after the police stopped youth leaders of the party to enter Mangaluru from other districts.
Even the party’s state president and chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa and MP Pratap Simha, who is the state youth president, courted arrest soon after they addressed party workers gathered at Ambedkar Circle.
Other leaders who were taken into custody were Leader of Opposition in the legislative council KS Eshwarappa, former CM and Leader of Opposition in the assembly Jagadeesh Shettar and MP Prahallad Joshi among others.
The BJP was protesting against the ruling Congress demanding the resignation of Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai over the killing of RSS activist Sharat Madiwala in July.