Bandipur traffic ban: Vatal Nagaraj says state should boycott Rahul Gandhi

Bengaluru: Pro Kannada activist and Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha (KCVP) party president Vatal Nagaraj said that Karnataka should boycott Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s stand against the night traffic ban on a national highway passing through Bandipur Tiger Reserve in the state.

Pro Kannada activists also staged a protest outside the railway station in Mysore on Saturday in favour of the traffic ban.

Addressing presspersons on the issue Nagaraj said, Rahul Gandhi is supporting the protest in Kerala against Bandipur night vehicles ban, he must be boycotted in Karnataka.

He further added, “Bandipur and the wildlife are assets of Karnataka. It’s everyone’s responsibility to protect it. But the timber mafia, which is orchestrating these protests in Kerala, is creating the ruckus to ensure that vehicles are allowed in Bandipur.”

The movement of traffic through the Tiger Reserve is banned on this stretch from 9 pm to 6 am to reduce disturbance to wildlife.

Gandhi, who represents Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, had recently met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in New Delhi and apprised him of the hardships faced by people of Wayanad due to the night traffic ban.

He has expressed solidarity with people of Wayanad who have been on a protest for the past several days on the issue.

Gandhi is expected to join the protesters on Friday in Wayanad.