BJP will gherao stations with lathis if police don’t stop harassing our workers: Vijayendra

Karwar: In controversial remarks, BJP state president BY Vijayendra said party workers and functionaries will gherao police stations if police continue to unjustly target its workers across the state.
Addressing party workers at Yellapur in Uttara Kannada district on Friday, the fifth day of its ‘Janaakrosha Yatre', Vijayendra said: "If Uttara Kannada police continue to harass BJP workers and Hindu activists, then we will gherao police stations with lathis in our hands. Stop harassing our workers. If you continue to do so, we will take care of such officers when we return to the helm."
Vijayendra alleged Uttara Kannada police, acting on instructions from Congress functionaries, were filing false cases against BJP workers. He cited the recent incident of Shrinivas Naik, a BJP worker, being allegedly beaten up by Uttara Kannada SP during a rowdy parade. He said others were tortured by police.
BJP MP Kota Srinivas Poojary said: "BJP workers were allegedly beaten just because a senior police officer of the rank of inspector general was arriving in coastal Karnataka. FIRs were filed against 40 BJP workers. What kind of state is this?"
Poojary accused the govt of "administrative failure and breakdown of law and order". Citing the Mysuru police station riot and the incident where accused in the murder case of Hindu activist Praveen Kumar Nettaru were cheered, he questioned police's silence and the functioning of the home department. Referring to terrorism threats, he asked how the govt could "tolerate senior ministers calling such terrorists ‘our brothers'."
Another rath yatre
In Bengaluru, BJP launched ‘Bhima Hejje Noorara Sambhrama', a four-day rath yatre, to mark the centenary celebration of Dr BR Ambedkar's visit to Nippani in Belagavi district on April 11, 1925, where he presided over the Bahishkrutha Hitakarini Sabha.
Union Minister Prahlad Joshi and leaders of the opposition R Ashoka, and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy took part in the inaugural event at Ambedkar statue at Vidhana Soudha. The yatre will reach Nippani on Monday.
At the inaugural event, Joshi alleged that Congress has continuously "disrespected" Ambedkar. "It has been 100 years since Ambedkar visited Nippani, but not a single Congress member has spoken on the occasion," he said. He questioned why a committee of all parties, including Dalit representatives and thinkers, was not formed to organise a two-day event to mark the historic event.
Joshi said it was only when BJP-supported VP Singh govt came to the helm that Ambedkar was honoured with the Bharat Ratna. The same govt unveiled Ambedkar's portrait in Parliament on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's insistence.
Govind Karjol, MP and former deputy CM, said Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit, is only a namesake president of Congress party. "Congress has not done justice to G Parameshwara, who was state president of the party for six years. They just need Dalit votes. They don't give Dalits top positions," Karjol said.
He said the only ones who matter in Congress are Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Vadra. "Kharge is a nominal President. Rahul Gandhi holds the real power," he said.