Vinod M Jain
Several BJP leaders and party workers were taken into custody by Bengaluru police on Monday after a protest march against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was stopped outside Freedom Park.
The protest was organised in response to remarks made by Kharge during a public address in Patna,Bihar,which the BJP alleged were derogatory towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
The BJP leaders demanded an unconditional public apology from the Congress chief.
Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka,Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy,Rajya Sabha MP Lehar Singh Siroya and former Deputy Chief Minister C.N.Ashwath Narayan led dozens of party workers in a dharna at Freedom Park.
Tension prevailed when the protesters attempted to move beyond the designated protest area and march onto the adjoining main road.Police personnel deployed at the spot blocked their way using barricades.
When some protesters allegedly tried to push past the barricades, police intervened and took the senior BJP leaders and several party workers into custody.They were subsequently taken away in police transport vehicles.
The protest was held amid demands by the BJP for an apology from Kharge over his remarks against the Prime Minister.
