E-Paper
15 NSUI members held over ‘ruckus’ near minister’s house
A day after National Students Union of India (NSUI) members held protest outside Karnataka education minister BC Nagesh’s house at Titpur in Tumkuru district over the textbook revision issue and clashed with the Bharatiya Janata Party members present on the spot, police on Thursday arrested 15 people in connection with the case
A day after National Students Union of India (NSUI) members held protest outside Karnataka education minister BC Nagesh’s house at Titpur in Tumkuru district over the textbook revision issue and clashed with the Bharatiya Janata Party members present on the spot, police on Thursday arrested 15 people in connection with the case.
An official aware of the development said that the police are on the lookout for more persons who were involved in the protest against the Karnataka education minister and setting Khaki trousers on fire in front of his house.
Meanwhile, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said that strict action will be initiated against the “miscreants”. “The NSUI activists protesting at the home of BC Nagesh in Tiptur is condemnable. Such a move will bring disgrace to the students and educationists. The perpetrators of this crime will be prosecuted,” said Bommai.
Reacting to the incident, home minister Araga Jnanendra said that there is no place for such ‘goondaism’ in the state. “Police have arrested some people and taken them into custody. Strict action will be taken against the accused. There won’t be any tolerance for such action,” said the home minister.
Around 3.30 pm on Wednesday, bike- borne NSUI members, who came in a group, started staging a demonstration outside the minister’s house over the textbook revision issue. They burnt a pair of khaki shorts as a symbolic protest against the chief minister led- BJP government in the state.
Inspector general of police, Central Division, Chandra Shekar said that 15 people arrested have been sent to judicial custody and the police are on the lookout of more suspects. “As per the information, on Wednesday around 22-25 persons tried to enter the minister’s house and create ruckus.”
The IGP said, “No permission was taken to hold any protest. So, our policemen were not deployed and they were not aware of the gathering also. Based on a call from the minister’s house, our local sub-inspector reached the location to sort the issue. The investigation is underway,” he said.
The officer added that the arrested men are not locals. “Five of them are from Bengaluru, three from Hassan and three from Davangere. Two others are from Shivamoga and Tumkuru each,” said Shekar.
When asked why the minister’s house was not provided security following the controversy over the textbooks, the IGP said that the Nagesh was not at home and police were not aware of the protest.
The incident occurred when Nagesh was attending a national conference of education ministers on school education at Ahmedabad in Gujarat. He is expected to return to the state on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, working president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Ramalinga Reddy said that students exercised their right to protest. “The Constitution has given us the right to protest and they (the students) protested. What is wrong with it? BJP members are liars. They are claiming that they were trying to set the house on fire. Did they carry petrol? No, BJP is lying and trying to target students who are protesting,” he said.
