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The seer of Panchamshali Peetha in Karnataka condemned Tuesday’s lathi charge on Panchamshali Lingayat protesters in Belagavi, calling for a statewide road blockade. Basav Jayamruthyunjaya Swamiji alleged that the police action was pre-planned and ordered at the highest level, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of being “anti-Lingayat.”
Tensions escalated on Tuesday when members of the Panchamshali Lingayat community staged a protest near the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, demanding reservation under the 2A category. Protesters jumped over barricades and attempted to barge into the premises where the winter session of the legislature was underway.
In response, the police resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd, leaving more than 10 people injured.
The seer claimed the community had been protesting peacefully for years but was met with violence for the first time. He demanded an apology from the government, suspension of senior police officials involved, and withdrawal of cases filed against community members.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra accused the Congress government of suppressing democratic protests. “The lathi charge was ordered by the Chief Minister to threaten protesters. This is a criminal act,” he said. Vijayendra questioned whether Siddaramaiah believed in democracy, adding that Siddarmaiah should have received the protesters’ representation instead of deploying police.
MLA Arvind Bellad compared the lathi charge to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, stating that Siddaramaiah had behaved like General Dyer. “This is an attack on Linagayats, and there is unrest in the state which is because of Congress” he said.
The seer reiterated the community’s demand for 2A reservation and called on the government to clarify its position on meeting this demand. He suggested that if 2A reservation was not feasible, the government should at least provide 2D reservation, as done by the previous BJP government.
