Karnataka - Belgaum   

Police ensure a peaceful bandh

Staff Correspondent

Belgaum: Pro-Kannada organisations, especially Kannada Rakshna Vedike (KRV), are happy over the near-total response to the "Karnataka bandh" in Belgaum city and district.

Even before the KRV activists gathered at Rani Channamma Circle from where they wanted to take out a procession, the police had ensured cooperation by traders and other sections of society so that untoward incidents could be averted. Their efforts were acknowledged even by many pro-Kannada leaders.

The pro-Kannada groups did not seem to have anyone to command them properly. KRV district unit president Raju Topannavar, who has proved his organising abilities on a few occasions earlier, was struggling hard to control many pro-Kannada groups who behaved in an unruly manner.

The gathering remained largely scattered and despite the fact that the bandh was total since morning, some of them insisted on closure of a shop owned by Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi MLA Manohar Kinekar in Kaktives. But the shop was kept open as it was apparently a matter of prestige for the MES leader.

A police officer advised Mr. Kinekar's son, Akash, to close the shop. On his refusing to do so, the officer allegedly slapped him.

Bank closure

A KRV group also forced closure of a private bank promoted by Marathi- speaking people near Shivaji garden. They were beaten up by Marathi youths. Efforts were also made to remove saffron flags and Marathi name/sign boards.

Senior police officials felt that there was no need for the KRV activists to lose their temper since the bandh was successful and peaceful.

No opposition

There was no opposition from Marathi-speaking people, barring a few cases where the KRV activists resorted to coercion.

Kannada leader and the former Mayor Siddangouda Patil, Belgaum District Kannada Organisations Action Committee president Ashok Chandargi, Anil Potdar and the former corporator Ramesh Sontakki returned to their homes after registering a symbolic participation, leaving the protesters in the hands of Mr. Topannavar alone.

First Kannada-speaking MLA Ramesh Kudachi (Congress) from the city and Lok Sabha member Suresh Angadi (BJP) was conspicuous by their absence.

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