'Bharat Jodo Yatra' posters found torn a day before its Karnataka entry

Bengaluru:  Some posters put up to welcome leaders to the Congress ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ were found to be torn at Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar district on Thursday, a day before it is set to enter Karnataka.

Reacting sharply, Congress said, “The 40% Commission Bommai Govt is already getting the jitters”.

The BJP’s “Bharat Todo Team” of paid goons has been pressed into service to destruct, destroy and tear up posters, the Congress incharge of Karnataka Affairs, Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged.

“They’ll never be able to stop the war cry against Price Rise, Unemployment, Disparity & Divisiveness”, he tweeted.

Congress state president D K Shivakumar alleged that a few posters were torn and burnt by the BJP.

“Preparations are afoot to receive the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ but the BJP people have torn and burnt some banners. We will not be cowed down. We have faced enough of such things. They (BJP) should know this,” Shivakumar told reporters in Chamarajanagar.

He demanded that the police initiate action against those who tore the banners.

“Let them (police) refuse to take action, then we will speak rest of the things,” Shivakumar said.

The Congress lodged a police complaint in this connection in the police station concerned, sources close to the Congress state president said.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said: “All know who is doing ‘Bharat Jodo’ and who’s doing ‘Thodo”.

Addressing reporters in the district headquarters town of Haveri, Bommai said let Shivakumar comment on the incident, permission must be obtained for putting up posters.

The BJP need not tear the posters of any political party. Since people knew “everything,” there was no need for him to say much about it, the Chief Minister said.

Sources close to Shivakumar said the Congress leaders lodged a complaint at the police station concerned against those who tore and burnt the banners.