Panchamasali Lingayat quota agitation turns violent in Karnataka, several injured

Belagavi: The agitation by the Panchmasali Lingayats community turned violent after a mob pelted stones at police and attempted to lay siege to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.

The police stopped thousands of protesters on their way to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, warning them that they wouldn’t be allowed to march any further. The agitators threw stones and footwear at the police personnel after which police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the mob.

The sources also said that 10 people were injured in the incident. However, an official statement in this regard was yet to be made.

One of the protestors reportedly fell sick due to the commotion. Several policemen also sustained injuries during the incident, according to sources.

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As the police began the lathi-charge, the protestors scattered in various directions. The Bengaluru-Pune National Highway was blocked for hours, causing severe inconvenience to travellers and the general public.

Earlier, BJP State President and MLA B. Y. Vijayendra visited the protestors and met Jagadguru Sri Basava Jayamruthyunjaya Swamiji, who is leading the agitation. Vijayendra pledged full support for the Panchamasali protest in Belagavi.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Aravind Bellad, former BJP minister C.C. Patil, and MLA Basavaraj Mattimadu, senior leaders Sharanu Salagar, and Shailendra Beldale, along with key party leaders, were present on this occasion.

Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa had come down to the venue of the protest on behalf of CM Siddaramaiah and received the memorandum.

Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basavaraj Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami warned earlier that they plan to lay siege to the Karnataka Assembly with 5,000 tractors while expressing unhappiness over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not responding to the demand of providing reservation to Panchamasali Lingayats.

The seer has charged that the community leaders are being “threatened” by the Congress government in Karnataka to suppress the agitation for reservation. The seer had warned that if anything went wrong, there would be a “blood revolution” in the state.

However, he had agreed to stage a peaceful protest later.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced that the Supreme Court’s order and the affidavit submitted by the previous government regarding the Panchamasali 2A reservation will be tabled in the state Assembly.

“The Panchamasali community has been demanding inclusion under the 2A category for long. After assuming office, I met their leaders, including Jayamrutyunjaya Swamiji, twice and assured them of my support. However, the issue requires a report from the State’s Permanent Backward Classes Commission,” CM said.