The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Kannada activists storm venue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 12, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Kannada activists storm venue

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Three persons were injured in a scuffle between Kannada activists and Shiv Sena workers at a meeting of Shiv Sena party workers here on Sunday.

Members of Kannada Rakshana Vedike, led by Praveen Kumar Shetty, stormed the venue just before the Shiv Sena State President Pramod Mutalik inaugurated the meeting.

Shouting slogans against Shiv Sena, the protesters wanted Mr. Mutalik to state the reason for starting the party in Karnataka. They asked him to make the party's stand clear about the border dispute with Maharashtra. They alleged that Shiv Sena was involved in harassing Kannadigas in Mumbai.

This led to an argument between the protesters and the Shiv Sena party workers, which was followed by a scuffle. The scene got tense when some people started throwing plastic chairs at one another. Three Shiv Sena workers were injured.

The situation was brought under control only after Mr. Mutalik reiterated that the Shiv Sena State unit will be committed to the cause of the State. He assured protesters that he would appeal to the party supremo, Bal Thackeray, to make such a statement during his visit to Karnataka.

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