As the controversy over the arrest of a Karsevak from Hubballi raged on in the southern state of Karnataka, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state unit launched a campaign against the ruling Congress, called “I'm also a Karsevak, Arrest Me Too”.
The Hindu activist, Srikanth Poojari, was arrested on Monday for his alleged involvement in the post-Babri Masjid demolition riots in 1992. As the arrest came less than three weeks before the much anticipated grand opening of the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya, saffron groups held protests and hit out at the Siddaramaiah-led government.
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BJP state president BY Vijayendra said it clearly showed the state government's intent behind reopening a three decade old case just days before the consecration of the Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh.
In this light, the BJP staged a demonstration near the Sadashivanagar police station in Bengaluru and raised slogans including “Jai Sri Ram”. V Sunil Kumar, BJP leader and former minister held a placard that read “I'm also a Karsevak, Arrest Me Too”. He reportedly told media that he too had taken part in the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation that ensued after the Babri Mosque demolition, and that he should also be arrested.
{{/usCountry}}In this light, the BJP staged a demonstration near the Sadashivanagar police station in Bengaluru and raised slogans including “Jai Sri Ram”. V Sunil Kumar, BJP leader and former minister held a placard that read “I'm also a Karsevak, Arrest Me Too”. He reportedly told media that he too had taken part in the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation that ensued after the Babri Mosque demolition, and that he should also be arrested.
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"The campaign 'I'm also a Karsevak, Arrest Me Too' has been launched to condemn the "anti-Ram and anti-Hindu policies" of the Congress government. Thousands of people from Karnataka participated in the 1990 and 1992 Kar Seva in Ayodhya despite the threats of the government of that time. The Congress in Karnataka has resorted to a strategy of intimidating Karsevaks, and Ram devotees," Kumar said.
“(Poojari) is being portrayed as a criminal but the Mangaluru cooker bomb accused is called as innocent. Congress leaders are writing letters to the government to set free the accused persons of KJ Halli and DJ Halli riot cases,” He accused.
Police officials later took Kumar into preventive custody, news agency PTI reported. The BJP also held protests in Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru.
(With inputs from PTI)