Price rise: BJP leaders trying to lay siege to CM’s house taken into custody

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State unit concluded its day-and-night protest against price rise in Bengaluru on Thursday by trying to lay siege to the official residence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, holding him responsible for burdening common people. However, the police took into custody several prominent leaders, including former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, and released them later.

BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok and a large number of legislators, including C.T. Ravi, S.R. Vishwanath, and Byrati Basavaraj, were among those detained by the police when they were marching towards the Chief Minister’s residence.

“The dharna has ended. But this is only the beginning of the fight against the government. Our protest and campaign against the government’s anti-people policies, including price rise, will continue. We will visit every district to create public awareness in this regard,” Mr. Vijayendra announced.

While protests would be held at all district and taluk centres against price rise on April 5, the State tour titled ‘Janakrosha Yatre’ would begin on April 7 to create public awareness in this regard, he said.

On wakf amendments

Mr. Vijayendra criticised the Congress for opposing the wakf amendment Bill both at the State and national levels, calling it a “tragedy”. He accused Congress leaders of “looting land worth thousands of crores” in Karnataka under the guise of the wakf board. “These very Congress leaders are now opposing the wakf amendment Bill,” he said.

Mr. Ashok said the BJP would take the fight against the Congress government over price rise and alleged failure on all fronts to the logical level. Claiming that even those who voted for the Congress were now repenting their decision after feeling the heat of its two-year rule, he said the State government was leaving no stone unturned in finding new avenues to tax people.

Accusing the government of looting people through “indiscriminate increase in taxes and service charges”, Mr. Ashok took exception to revising taxes without mentioning them in the State Budget. He alleged that the government did not even have money to maintain public toilets.

Vijayendra does not have moral right to protest, says Yatnal

Expelled BJP leader Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal taunted his political bete noire and BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra by maintaining that he did not have any moral right to protest against the Congress government as the erstwhile government led by his father, B.S. Yediyurappa, had faced allegations of corruption.

Speaking to media persons here, Mr. Yatnal reiterated that there was no question of either the party central leadership inviting him back to the BJP or he returning to the party fold, till the party organisation was under the control of the Yediyurappa family.