Uproar in Karnataka Assembly Over Police Action on Lingayat Protesters

The police's lathi charge on Panchamasali Lingayat protesters led to uproar in the Karnataka Assembly. The BJP demanded a government apology and an inquiry, while the Home Minister defended the action as necessary. The protest was over reservation demands, leading to violent clashes and several injuries.

The police lathi charge on Panchamasali Lingayat protesters near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha earlier this week ignited a heated debate in the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday. State Home Minister G Parameshwara defended the police's actions, while the opposition BJP pressed for a government apology and a judicial inquiry into the incident.

In the Assembly, multiple adjournments took place as BJP members demanded a statement from the government. Speaker U T Khader eventually allowed Minister Krishna Byre Gowda to respond. Gowda attributed unresolved reservation issues to the previous BJP government, despite the Home Minister having already addressed the police's actions.

The protest, led by the Panchamasali Lingayat community, turned violent amid demands for reservation. Demonstrators, seeking inclusion in the 2A category of the OBC reservation matrix, allegedly resorted to stone-throwing, prompting the police's lathi charge. Several protesters and police personnel were injured. Among those detained were prominent community leaders and politicians.

(With inputs from agencies.)