Former MLA Vatal Nagaraj and his supporters were arrested during a protest in front of Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi on Wednesday. Police removed them from the venue and released them later.
Mr. Vatal was protesting against neglect of issues concerning northern Karnataka in the winter session of the Assembly, delay in release of funds for Hyderabad Karnataka development, over 70 per cent of MLAs remaining absent for most of the Belagavi session, delay in decision over Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri, under-utilisation of the Suvarna Soudha, non-shifting of government departments to Belagavi and alleged appeasement of Marathi leaders like MES MLA Sambhaji Patil by the State government. He sought release of a white paper on the development of north Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka.