Karnataka - Belgaum   

Government staff take out protest march in Belgaum

Belgaum: A large number of employees of the Irrigation, Public Works and other State Government departments on Friday took out a procession in protest against the attack on S.S. Khanagavi, Chief Engineer of Irrigation, North Zone, and seeking the arrest of BJP MLA Abhay Kumar Patil here on Friday.

Mr. Patil had allegedly led the attack on the official by his supporters on Thursday.

Even as the employees were getting ready for the procession, the police arrested Mr. Patil and produced in the local court. Four other accused in the case were also arrested and produced in the court. The court released Mr. Patil and four others on bail.

The protest was organised by the Karnataka State Engineering Service Association. The procession passed through Club Road, College Road, Bogarves, Kirloskar Road and Rani Channamma Circle and ended at the Deputy Commissioner’s office where they submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister.

Branches of Institution of Engineers, Government Employees’ Housing Development Association, All India Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association, Treasury Employees’ Association, The Buddhist Society of India, Bhim Sena, Karnataka State Government SC/ST Employees’ Association, employees of Public Works Department and the Belgaum District Contractors’ Association participated in the protest.

Members of the district unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike of the Narayana Gowda faction also joined the procession and condemned the attack. These associations also sought action against the policemen who allegedly remained mute when Mr. Khanagavi was being beaten up by Mr. Patil’s henchmen. They alleged that Mr. Patil’s supporters had entered the chamber of Mr. Khanagavi and spoke in foul language while asking him to close his office in support of “Bharat bandh” called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Subsequently, they dragged him out of his chamber and started assaulting him. Employees of the Irrigation Department, North Zone, would stay away from work till the Government took action against Mr. Patil and the policemen, the protesters said. Karnataka Engineering Service Association’s president Shivanand Hugar and vice-president of Karnataka Engineers’ Association R.T. Jungal were among those who participated in the protest.

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