Internal reservation protest escalates in Bengaluru, traffic comes to screeching halt
Bengaluru: The protest opposing the alleged injustice in the allotment of internal reservation by the Congress-led government in Karnataka escalated in Bengaluru on Wednesday, with agitators overturning barricades and staging a demonstration on the arterial road near Freedom Park, resulting in a huge traffic pile-up.
Thousands of protesters overthrew barricades and blocked the road, demanding that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah or the Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa come to the spot to listen to their grievances.
The protesters, hailing from the Bhovi, Banjara, Korama, and Koracha communities, have been agitating for the allotment of a reservation quota, alleging that they are not given appropriate representation.
The protesters refused to meet government officials and sent them back, insisting that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should come in person.
The protesters argued with the police that they would march to Vidhana Soudha if the CM did not come down to meet them.
Traffic from Anand Rao Circle to K.R. Circle came to a complete halt. Commuters returning home, unaware of the developments, were stuck in traffic for hours. Even ambulances were caught in the jam, and the police struggled to manage the crowd. As a precautionary measure, the police prepared water jets to disperse the mob and stepped up security around Vidhana Soudha.
Earlier, BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra visited the spot and expressed solidarity with the agitators.
Addressing the gathering, he stated, “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is showing total negligence in delivering justice to the oppressed classes. It is not important how many days you have held the post of Chief Minister, but how far you went to provide justice. Injustice should not be done to any of the hundreds of sub-castes in the Scheduled Caste community.”
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has committed an unpardonable sin by delivering injustice to the Bhovi, Banjara, Korama, and Koracha sub-castes. These communities will no longer believe in the Congress party. People have gathered here in thousands, and the Chief Minister is turning a blind eye, refusing to come here. This reflects his mindset,” Vijayendra said.