Berth pangs: No end to stir by Congressmen

Supporters of a few Congress party leaders have continued to protest seeking ministerial berths to their leaders in the Cabinet on Thursday.

Supporters of Satish Jarkiholi created a ruckus at the district Congress office on Club Road in Belagavi in the afternoon.

Members of Manava Bandhutva Vedike, founded by the MLA, staged a protest at Chennamma Circle and went to the Congress office. They damaged flower pots, portraits and banners at the office.

About 30 activists of Karnataka Valmiki Yuva Vedike were detained by the police after they resorted to stone throwing on buses at Channamma Circle here, while staging protest demanding inclusion of Satish in the
government. Police resorted to mild caning to control the activists. Satish, the AICC secretary, represents Yamkanmardi constituency.

In Hubballi, supporters of Kundgol MLA C S Shivalli stated a protest at Ambedkar Circle in the afternoon against the Congress’ decision of denying their leader a berth in the Kumaraswamy cabinet. They burnt tyres and blocked the road for some time.

The Akhila Bharata Banjara Seva Sangha has decided to observe one-day bandh at all district and taluk headquarters on June 14 against lack of representation to the Banjara community in the cabinet.

“There are about 45 lakh Banjara community members across the state. Three community members from the Congress and one from the JD(S) have emerged victorious in the recently concluded Assembly elections. They play a decisive role in all Lok Sabha segments in the state. Despite this, none of the MLAs from the community has been inducted,” Dr D Paramesh Naik, president, Akhila Bharata Banjara Seva Sangha, stated in a press release.

On Thursday morning, over 1,000 supporters of Challakere MLA T Raghumurthy who include office-bearers of district Congress, zilla panchayat, taluk panchayat and gram panchayat members left for Bengaluru by several buses and private vehicles to stage a protest in front of the KPCC office seeking a berth to their leader.

They have threatened to resign en masse if Raghumurthy is not accommodated in the cabinet. Madara Chennaiah Gurupeetha seer Madara Chennaiah Swami on Thursday demanded a ministerial berth to Madar community leaders.

“Madar community members are a majority among scheduled castes. For the first time after the country’s independence, ministerial berth has been denied to the community,” he said in Chitradurga.

Supporters of Chikkaballapur Congress legislator Dr K Sudhakar held a protest at the Ambedkar Circle against the party for not accommodating their leader in the ministry.

Voices demanding ministership for Shivalli of Congress and MLC Basavaraj Horatti of JD(S) grew stronger in Hubballi.

Hundreds of Congress workers and supporters of Shivalli staged a protest, demanding Cabinet berth for him. Shivalli was not made a minister in the Siddaramaiah government also. If he is not included in the Cabinet now, protest will be intensified, and his supporters would resign to their posts, they said.

Members of Vishwa Lingayat Mahasabha held a meeting, and decided to stage a night-long dharna at Basava Vana in Hubballi from Thursday night to Friday morning.

“The struggle to get independent religion status for the Lingayat needs political support, and therefore M B Patil of Congress and Basavaraj Horatti of JD(S), who spearheaded the agitation, should become ministers,” said Mahasabha convener Chintamani Sindagi.