The Karnataka Congress demanded the suspension of the police officer who was found punching their party worker for wearing PayCM t-shirt at Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. The cop forced the worker to take his shirt off. A video of the incident went viral.
The Twitter handle of the state party unit wrote, “#PayCm is condemnable that the police oppressed our activist who was wearing a T-shirt. Who authorized the police to attack him on the road by unbuttoning his T-shirt? Are they cops or gangsters? The assaulting officer should be suspended immediately. (Sic)”
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) DK Shivakumar condemned the arrest and said that the ruling BJP is trying to scare people who speak against corruption in the state. “The police brutality of our party worker who was wearing a T-shirt while #PayCM is condemnable. BJP is targeting those who question corruption. People are afraid of this. The aim of the Bharat Eykita Yatra is to remove such an atmosphere of fear. Absolutely shameless act of misuse of power. Since #40PercentSarkara is speechless with corruption charges, it is resorting to gundagardi, just like in this video.(Sic)”
{{/usCountry}}Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) DK Shivakumar condemned the arrest and said that the ruling BJP is trying to scare people who speak against corruption in the state. “The police brutality of our party worker who was wearing a T-shirt while #PayCM is condemnable. BJP is targeting those who question corruption. People are afraid of this. The aim of the Bharat Eykita Yatra is to remove such an atmosphere of fear. Absolutely shameless act of misuse of power. Since #40PercentSarkara is speechless with corruption charges, it is resorting to gundagardi, just like in this video.(Sic)”
{{/usCountry}}Hours after the incident, police said they have booked Congress worker Akshay Kumar from Vijayapura district under sections 505(1)(B) (with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state) and 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Earlier, when ‘PayCM’ posters cropped up at various places in Bengaluru, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai called it a conspiracy against the popularity of the state. CM Bommai also warned of action against the perpetrators.