Manipal police have filed a case against BJP’s Udupi District Yuva Morcha president Prithviraj Shetty and other activists of the morcha for burning Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s effigy after slapping the effigy with slippers during a protest of the party in Manipal on September 6.
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The case is based on a complaint filed by Congress activist Sourabh Ballal who accused Yuva Morcha activists of public mischief and instigating a class of people to breach law and order by abusing the Chief Minister in pubic and by burning his effigy.
Police registered the complaint for offences punishable under Sections 192. 196 (1), 352 and 353(1)(C) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
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The protest was held at the Syndicate Circle in Manipal against the State government withholding the State-level Best Principal award for 2024-25 to the Principal of Kundapur government Pre-University College B.J. Ramakrishna. The government withheld the award following outrage expressed by a section of activists and academics over his choice, alleging that the Principal was one of the people who were responsible for the hijab controversy that had erupted during the previous BJP regime.
The Yuva Morcha activists stated during the protest that Mr. Ramakrishna had closed the gate of the college by following the orders of the then BJP led government to prevent students without school uniform from entering the campus.
MLA condemns police case
Condemning the police case, V. Sunil Kumar, BJP State General Secretary and Karkala MLA, alleged in a statement that the case was registered following directions by the State government and this was nothing but an act of strangling democratic system.
Mr. Kumar said Mr. Siddaramaiah speaks about democratic values and right to freedom of speech only when he is in the Opposition. When in power, Mr. Siddaramaiah does not tolerate any protest against him. The Chief Minister bowed to the pressures by communal forces and denied the award to Mr. Ramakrishna, he stated.