Tags:
Journalism of Courage
BANGALORE, JAN 11: Two protest rallies in the city turned violent on Monday, injuring two policemen.
A procession of sericulturists attacked Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde’s house to express their ire at the Centre’s silk import policy. The processionists later went berserk at K R Circle, and in the melee, two police personnel and a number of farmers were injured.
The other rally was organised by cine star Rajkumar’s Fans’ Association in protest against Chief Minister J H Patel’s alleged refusal to the star to sing at a function at Kannada University at Hampi last week.
Various Rajkumar fans’ associations took out a procession from the Malleswaram grounds, demanding an apology from the Chief Minister and University Vice-Chancellor M M Kalburgi for their alleged slight to the star.Some of these fans pelted stones on cars near the Janata Dal office on Race Course road.
Later, they came in groups to the Vidhana Soudha and damaged at least 20 cars, including those of ministers. With no informationabout the mob approaching the Vidhana Soudha, the policemen were caught unawares when a group suddenly started damaging cars parked in front of the Secretariat.Police officials admitted failure on the part of their intelligence staff.
The post of deputy police commissioner in the City Intelligence was vacant for over a year.
The sericulturists had the permission to take out a procession to Raj Bhavan, while the Raj Kumar fans had agreed to drop the rally plans.Fans’ Associaition president Sa Ra Govindu announced in the Malleswaram grounds that he would be going to Raj Bhavan alone. But the fans, who had come from all over the State, followed him.
Gowda faces flak
Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde blamed former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda for the attack on his house.
"There is no doubt about it. It is too obvious that Deve Gowda’s sons and his henchmen are behind the attack," Hegde, who returned from Hunsur, told reporters.
"Earlier also there were similar attacks on me at Ramanagaram,Channapatna and Hassan when I addressed public meetings. At Hassan they pelted stones on me. There was another attack on me and my friends when Gowda took over as the Chief Minister."
