Bagalkot (Karnataka), March 31 (IANS) Amid the campaigning for bye-election, BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Tuesday visited and consoled parents of people who were arrested in connection with the stone-pelting and violence that occurred during the Shivaji Jayanti procession last month at Killagalli in Bagalkot in Karnataka.

Later, Vijayendra visited Ashok Baraker, who was injured in the incident and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital. Vijayendra assured all help and wished him a speedy recovery.

He charged that the Karnataka government is focussed only on appeasing its vote bank, and the BJP will always stand in support of the people.

On this occasion, district president Shantagouda Patil, MLAs Shailendra Beldale, P.H. Poojar, Hanumant Nirani, former MLAs M.D. Lakshminarayana and Arun Shahapur, state party secretary Sharanu Tallikeri, along with other leaders and party members, were present.

It can be recalled that stone-pelting occurred during a Shivaji Jayanti procession in Bagalkot, Karnataka, on February 19 this year, near Panka Masjid, resulting in minor injuries to Superintendent of Police (SP) Siddharth Goyal and another officer.

Eight people were arrested, and prohibitory orders under Section 163 (BNSS) were imposed until February 24 to manage tensions.

The incident was reported from the Killa Oni area when the procession was passing in front of a mosque. In the wake of the incident, police had clamped prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in Old Bagalkot, Navanagar and Vidyagiri localities.

The Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, charging the state government had alleged, “There is growing suspicion among the people of the state that Hindu religious practices are being restricted under the rule of the anti-Hindu government.”

“Stone pelting during Ganesh processions, stone pelting on Hanuma Mala devotees, obstruction to Navaratri processions, objections against Ayyappa Mala devotees, stone pelting on the Om Shakti Peetha palanquin procession were reported and now, fanatical miscreants have pelted stones at the Shivaji procession in Bagalkot,” he had stated.

–IANS

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