Massive Protests in Karnataka's Hubballi over Arrest of Karsevak in Ram temple agitation 31 yrs ago

Hubballi: Massive protests erupted in Karnataka's Hubballi district on Wednesday against the arrest of a Hindu activist Srikant Poojari, in connection with a 31-year-old case, related to the Ram temple agitation. Several BJP leaders and party workers staged demonstrations holding party flags, posters and banners, demanding the immediate release of Poojari. Republic has learnt that multiple protesters were detained by the police.

Around the same time, protests were also reported in Bengaluru, with the party leaders staging demonstrations at several places, including at Freedom Park. Besides Vijayendra, former Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda, former ministers Ashwath Narayan, Byrathi Basavaraj, K Gopalaiah, several MPs and a large number of party activists, also partook the protests.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lashed out at the BJP, saying “leaders of the Opposition need to understand that assigning caste and religious labels to criminals is extremely dangerous”, news agency PTI reported.

Siddaramaiah reportedly recalled that even when the BJP was in power in the state, the Lokayukta police had arrested the then CM Yediyurappa, and sent him to jail. "Is that Hubballi suspect any greater Hindu or devotee of [Lord] Ram than Yediyurappa? Siddaramaiah quipped, as he went on to ask further: “Was the government at that time anti-Hindu? Not even the leaders of the BJP's parent organization called the government that arrested Yediyurappa anti-Hindu, did they? Why this outcry now?"

"The BJP leaders are rallying around a criminal suspect out of desperation, PTI quoted Siddaramaiah as saying.

(With inputs from PTI)