BJP K'taka chief among hundreds of pro-Hindu activists arrested

Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Oct 10 (UNI) BJP Karnataka unit President Sadananda Gowda was among the over 300 people belonging to pro-Hindu organisations, who were taken into custody by the police when they attempted to take out 'Sankeertana Yatra' in support of Shobha Yatra for the controversial Datta Peetha in Bababudangiri hills, about 35 km from here, today.

Action was taken against the activists on the charge of defying prohibitory orders, clamped under section 144 of CrPC in the city and at the hill shrine.

Even as hundreds of Hindu activists belonging to BJP, Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other organisations came out of Kamadhenu Bhavan carrying an idol of Datta Guru, police stopped them. The activists staged a dharna on the road and shouted slogans against the district administration, which had banned all processions, including the Shobha Yatra.

Tension prevailed in the area for nearly 15 minutes. However, following an appeal by top officials, including Deputy Commissioner and SP, Mr Gowda and others relented and courted arrest.

''We will honour law. But we will protest peacefully if we are not allowed to take out Shobha Yatra to Datta Peetha in Bababudangiri tomorrow,'' Mr Gowda said.

The arrested included Chikmagalur MLA C T Ravi, MLC Shoba Karanlaje, VHP leaders Keshava Hegde and Srikant Pai, District Bajrang Dal leaders M K Prakash and Mohini Siddegowda. ''We will protest police action. We will observe a State-wide protest tomorrow,'' Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar told newspersons later.

Meanwhile, VHP, in a release issued in Bangalore, called upon the people to protest against the State Government's action to ''gag the majority voice'' in the State.

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