A padayatra - ‘Walk for Harmony’ - led by B. Ramanath Rai, minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada, began from Farangipet to Mani on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway 75 on Tuesday.
Before the padayatra was taken out, miscreants stoned a KSRTC bus at Faranipet early in the morning. However, no one was injured. The bus driver has filed a complaint about the same with Barke police in the city.
The walk began from Farangipet around 10 a.m. and is expected to end at Mani, which is around 22 km away, at 6 p.m. Traffic is moving slowly as police have permitted the walkers to use one side of the highway.
Mr. Rai said the objective of the walk was to promote communal harmony in Dakshina Kannada. Though it had been planned four months ago, the police had not given permission, following communal violence at Kalladkka and B.C. Road on the same highway. Two persons were killed in the related incidents.
In addition to Mr. Rai, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies U.T. Khader, Congress MLAs J.R. Lobo, T. Shakuntala Shetty, K. Vasantha Bangera, MLC Ivan D’Souza, CPI (M) leader G.V. Srirama Reddy, CPI leader Siddanagouda Patil, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) State president Muneer Katipalla, some zilla panchayat members of the Congress, and Congress councillors participated. Actor Prakash Raj, Janata Dal (Secular) leader K. Amarnatha Shetty were present at the inauguration.