Thomas (Special correspondent)
Amid tension over the defacing of the statue of 19th century warrior Sangolli Rayanna here, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said “decisive action” would be taken against miscreants who disturb law and order in the state.
State government would take decisive steps to stop vandalism.Stringent action would be initiated against those who take law into their hands, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said speaking to media persons in Belagavi.
“The main perpetrators of the recent vandalism in Karnataka have already been arrested. We will not allow any hooliganism to continue,” Bommai said.
State Home Secretary and DG of Police have taken up the issue with their Maharashtra counterparts to protect the life and property of Kannadigas in Maharashtra, and also providing security for Karnataka government vehicles, Bommai said.
Replying to a query on miscreants defacing Sangolli Rayanna’s statue in Belagavi bordering Maharashtra last week, Bommai said the police have arrested all the main accused related to the case.
There is no question of letting go even an inch of Karnataka’s border. It is a clear stand of the government that the Mahajan report is final on the border issue, still, some individuals and organisations are repeatedly causing disturbance to the peace and it is condemnable.
This House unanimously condemns such acts and decides to punish the miscreants involved in it,” Bommai said.
Following the defacement of freedom fighters’ statues in Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said in the state Assembly that the accused in these incidents will be booked for sedition as they are “anti-nationals”.
“The previous governments were never doing this. We are controlling them all,” Bommai said.
The House sought action against those who indulged in such activities, including workers of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES).
Bommai informed the legislators that the government is planning to book the accused in these incidents for sedition and also under the state’s Goonda Act. “
There are some leaders who are behind these actions and they want to disrupt peace and harmony. We will go after the people who are behind it and will take action.
They are (Sangolli Rayanna and Shivaji Maharaj) are freedom fighters who fought for the nation and whoever indulges in maligning their images are anti-nationals,” he added
Meanwhile, various Kannada organisations on Monday staged protests blocking the National Highway-4 at Hire Bagewadi in Belagavi where the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha is located.
The activists who came to Belagavi in huge numbers from various parts of Karnataka staged a road blockade.
They were seen intercepting ministers and legislators who were on the way to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, where the Legislature session is on, demanding stringent action and ban on the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, members of which were allegedly behind the incident.
Praveen Shetty of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, who spearheaded the agitation, demanded the externment of MES activists.
We demand ban on MES and externment of their leaders. They dare to destroy the statue of Sangolli Rayanna. We will observe bandh. We are all going to meet together under the leadership of Vatal Nagaraj,” Shetty told reporters.
