Hundreds of forest dwellers, under the banner of Aranya Bhumi Hakku Horatgarara Vedike, staged a protest in front of the office of Assembly Speaker and Sirsi MLA Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri here on Sunday, demanding that he should press the state government to file a revised affidavit, protecting the rights of the traditional dwellers, before the Supreme Court.
Former minister Kagodu Thimmappa flagged off the procession, which culminated at Kageri’s office in the town.
Kageri lent a patient hearing to the grievances of the agitating forest dwellers and assured them that he would talk to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on filing a fresh affidavit before the top court to protect the rights of the traditional dwellers.
The agitators demanded that he should come up with a time-frame to address the issue. They continued the protests when he did not give a deadline.