Bidar sedition case: Cong leaders detained during protest march

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress leaders including former chief minister Siddaramaiah were detained on Saturday as they marched to the chief minister’s home in the capital city to protest against Bidar sedition case.

Congress leaders including Siddaramaiah, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Rizwan Arshad and K Suresh took out a protest march towards Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s office alleging misuse of the police department by the state government.

Rao and Bangalore rural MP D K Suresh tried to jump the barricade erected by the police to stop them, and march towards the Chief Minister’s residence, but were stopped midway and detained. Siddaramaiah was detained by the police near Race Course Road in the city

The march, which began from Gandhi statue on Race Course Road, led to a traffic pile-up.

State Congress had organised the protest over sedition case filed against a Bidar school and arrest of a parent and the headmistress (now on bail) for their alleged involvement in staging a drama portraying Prime Minister Narendra Modi in poor light in connection with the (Citizenship Amendment Act) and NRC (National Register of Citizens).

The principal opposition party in the state alleged misuse of the police department by the state government to book cases against those opposing BJP and its “divisive policies”.

As he was being detained, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah termed the police action as undemocratic.

“Police have no right to suppress or take away our rights,” he said.

The Congress had planned to lay siege to Chief Ministers office as law was being violated across the state and false cases were being filed for sedition against political opponents, especially from Congress and those opposing the CAA and NRC, Siddaramaiah said.

Despite BJP activists using “filthy language and making anti-national comments”, no cases were filed against them.

He alleged that BJP was trying to suppress Congress, using the police, and pointed out that cases have been booked against its leader U T Khader and a student from Mysuru for opposing CAA and NRC, while no cases have been filed against ruling party leaders like Somashekara Reddy and AnantKumar Hegde for allegedly making inflammatory speeches.