Bengaluru:Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said with district administration clamping prohibitory orders in Kodagu, his party has decided to "postpone" its protest by laying a siege to district police headquarters, as government's orders should not be defied. The former Chief Minister said the party will discuss and decide on the future course of action.
"There is a right to freedom of movement according to the constitution, but as part of a conspiracy they (BJP) have tried to scuttle it. The DC and SP have clamped Section 144...we can oppose and do it, but as the Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister, I do not want to violate the law, the party does not want to violate law," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the protest was a party programme and not personal, so after discussion with state president and leaders, it has been decided to postpone it. "As we should not defy the orders of the government, we have postponed it. After discussing with leaders, we will decide on the further course of action," he said, as he also alleged that BJP announced 'Jana Jagruthi Samavesha' with a mala fide intention aimed at scuttling Congress' protest.
The Kodagu district administration has clamped prohibitory orders in the district between 6 am on August 24 and 6 pm on August 27, there by denying permission for Congress' protest and BJP's 'Jana Jagruthi Samavesha', both scheduled on August 26. Siddaramaiah along with Congress leaders and workers had planned to lay a siege to the SP's office in Kodagu, on August 26, following the incidents of eggs being hurled at his car and black flags being waved during his visit to Kodagu on August 18.
Alleging that Police were ineffective and did not make any attempt to control protesters when a handbill was thrown inside his car and couple of eggs were hurled at it in a few places during the visit, Siddaramaiah said, "at one place even a stone tied in a cloth was thrown, it fell elsewhere, but police were totally inactive and remained silent spectators."
Further claiming that despite knowing about the protests at several places, the SP was "most inactive", he said, "According to me this was a government sponsored protest. Police could have stopped it, but they did not...15-20 RSS, Bajrang Dal and BJP workers were there at three to four places where eggs were thrown. "
There seemed to be clear instructions from the government not to prevent, what was 'a well planned' and 'organised' protests, he added.
Claiming that Sampath, who is accused of throwing an egg, had been to RSS 'Shakhas,' Siddaramaiah said, he has been forced to make false claims, about his association with the Congress. "He (Sampath) is a 'pucca' RSS fellow, BJP MLA Appachuranjan gave him a bail and got him out of jail. There are his old photos with Appachuranjan and with saffron shawl, he has no links with Congress as claimed by him," he said.
Noting that BJP is envious after the success of his mega 75th birthday bash at Davangere earlier this month, Siddaramaiah said, that's the reason they have started indulging activities to target him; also they fear him, as he clearly exposes them. Reacting to former CM, B S Yediyurappa accusing him of unnecessarily creating issues and confusion, by planning a protest in Kodagu, he said, "Which party is Yediyurappa from, what else can you expect him to say. When he (Yediyurappa) says hurling eggs was wrong, how can protesting against it also be wrong?"
Seeking to know why Yediyurappa did not oppose BJP's Jagruti Samavesha, he asked, "why did they announce Jagruti Samavesha on the same day we had decided to hold a protest?" "They announced after I announced the protest. They clearly had mala fide intentions," he said. (PTI)
