Ballari violence: Security tightened as BJP to stage protest seeking arrest of Cong MLA, CBI probe

Ballari (Karnataka), Jan 17 (IANS) Karnataka BJP will stage a large-scale protest demanding the arrest of Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy in connection with the death of a Congress worker and handing over of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The protest rally will be held in Ballari city and the police department has made eloborate security arrangements considering the seriousness of the case.

BJP MLA and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy stated that the party is organising a series of protests in a phased manner against the government and Saturday's protest rally is the first step.

Reddy claimed, "The mob had come with private gunmen and systematically they had prepared to attack my home. Karnataka witnessed what unfolded that day. Such an incident never happened in the history of Ballari and the state. The Congress worker got killed in the incident."

"The government arrested three gunmen attached to MLA Bharat Reddy in this connection. Why has he not been arrested yet?" he asked.

"Police have made the statement, we do not have private gunmen, we have government gunmen. Only criminals have private gunmen," Reddy underlined.

"D.K. Shivakumar, who holds responsible positions as Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief, announced that he stands with Nara Bharath Reddy. If this is the case, how can the police arrest him? We don't believe that they will arrest Reddy," he said.

"When I was in power, the Ballari region prospered. One can go all around the city and talk to a common man or an industrialist. Under Janardhana Reddy it prospered. But, from Ballari to Karnataka it has become a republic under the Congress' rule," Reddy claimed.

Former Deputy CM Govind Karjol claimed that the Siddaramaiah-led government in the state had come 2.5 years ago and the people were upset because of misgovernance.

"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is the last CM from the Congress party in Karnataka. Nara Bharath Reddy should have been arrested. Instead the case has been lodged against the innocent," he said.

--IANS