Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy slammed the BJP chief Amit Shah for his comments over the police action against those who allegedly raised pro-Modi slogans outside the Manyata Tech Park where Congress president Rahul was taking part in an event.
The protesters held placards and raised pro-prime minister slogans. They asked Rahul to leave the venue. As the noise intensified, the Sampigehalli police removed the protesters from the venue and took them into custody.
Reacting to the incident, Shah tweeted, “Hugs for ‘Tukde Tukde‘ gang and arrest of peaceful youth raising pro-Modi slogans? Where are the champions of ‘Free Speech’? Yuvraj of Congress must know- time follows the course taken by youngsters. Stop intimidating the youth of India, which has rejected your brand of politics.”
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy flayed Shah for his comments and advised the BJP president to instruct his party supporters to behave in public and asked if they have any decency.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “While some other party’s programme is going on..do they have any decency?…first they have to learn about decency to behave in the public. I advise Amit Shah to instruct his BJP supporters not to disturb other party’s programmes.”
Reacting to the Monday’s incident, the BJP condemned the police action and alleged that those who protested were techies. BJP general secretary C T Ravi tweeted, “Congress workers attack techies who shouted “Modi Modi” slogans when Rahul Gandhi went to Manyata Tech Park in Bengaluru.” “Democracy in Danger, Police arrests few techies for raising pro Modi slogans at Manyata tech park in Bengaluru. This is the real face of democracy in a Cong-JDS ruled state. It’s total dictatorship where freedom of choice & expression of citizens is suppressed,” said the Karnataka BJP Twitter handle.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah clarified that nobody was arrested, and as a precautionary measure a few people were taken by police and released later. He further alleged that some BJP and RSS elements were behind the instigation.
Rahul was at the tech park to address a gathering of startup entrepreneurs. KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao slammed the BJP saying it tried to disrupt Rahul’s meeting as it was intolerant of the success of the event.