Protests, Lathi-Charge In Karnataka Over Lingayat Community’s Quota Demand

Protests over the Lingayat Panchamasali community’s demand for quotas turned violent in Karnataka’s Belagavi Tuesday after an agitation led by the community’s religious head, Basavajaya Mrityunjay Swamiji, was lathi-charged. The protesters were trying to break a security cordon and move towards the Vidhan Soudha, the winter session of which began Monday.

The protesters had threatened to march on, and lay siege to, the Vidhan Soudha if their demands aren’t met. In response, police took a number of lawmakers from the opposition BJP and Mrityunjay Swamiji, as well as many of his supporters, were taken into preventive custody.

Videos of the aftermath showed torn footwear scattered across the road and cops arguing with the remaining protesters. One particularly disturbing video showed a protester with a bloody bandage on his head and bloodstains on his white shirt; a policeman was trying to take him away, possibly into custody, but he was being heckled and questioned by other protesters.

One video of the lathi-charge showed a small army of cops bearing down on the protesters, who broke ranks and were being led away by the authorities into one of several parked police buses.

In the clash the protesters also damaged government vehicles and those belonging to MLAs.

Also, earlier today, as protesters gathered, police vehicles were forcibly shifted.

The Panchamasali sect of the Lingayats – an influential community that swung heavily in favour of the Congress as it won last year’s Assembly election – currently has five per cent reservation for state-run educational institutions and government jobs. It now wants a 15 per cent quota.

This morning’s visuals showed a small army of protesters waving saffron-coloured paraphernalia, gathered around their leader and shouting slogans.

Another shows a fierce argument off-camera and protesters cheering – some even whoop in apparent joy – as a fire truck is forced to pull away from the protest site. A third shows Mrityunjay Swamiji perched on the side of the car as it inches through a sea of his saffron-clad supporters.

The face-off between protesters and the Lingayat Panchamasali community members today also played out in the Karnataka Assembly Monday, the first day of this session, with the BJP’s Basanagouda Patil Yatnal arguing with his Congress counterparts.