The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : City witnesses a series of protests

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 12, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

City witnesses a series of protests

Special Correspondent

Demonstrations, dharnas and public meetings mark the day

There were at least seven protests in
Bangalore on Friday
Vedike demands justice to Kannadigas
in Railway recruitment

BANGALORE: Friday was marked by protests and dharnas in the city. There were at least seven protests and dharnas.

The day began with autorikshaws going off the road. The roads were looking less congested.

The Autorikshaw Drivers and Owners’ associations gave a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Bangalore Urban, seeking increase in fares.

The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike activists, led by Praveen Kumar Shetty and Tejaswi, held a demonstration at K.R. Puram and Cantonment Railway station respectively, demanding justice to Kannadigas in Railway recruitment.

Later, the vedike activists, led by Kannada activist Chandrashekar Patil (Champa) and vedike president Narayana Gowda held a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan, demanding implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi Committee recommendations on job reservation.

KRRS march

Activists of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and other organisations marched from the railway station to their meeting venue on Palace Road. The Students’ Islamic Organisation also held a dharna near the Gandhi statue.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Bipin Gopalkrishna told The Hindu that it was not unusual for the city to witness a large number of protests, processions simultaneously. Last year, the city saw 2,750 processions and the experience of managing them had enabled the police to make proper arrangements for the free flow of traffic.

Strict rules

“The organisers have been given strict directions to follow the instructions of the Police Department if they want to hold processions, dharnas and public meetings.”

The police said there was not even one case of a traffic snarl, except for a five-minute hold-up on the Palace Road.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka