NewKerala.com

Key Points

Thousands of protesters from marginalized communities brought Bengaluru to a standstill over reservation allocation issues. They demanded Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's personal attention to their grievances, refusing to meet with other government officials. Traffic chaos ensued with even ambulances stuck for hours as police prepared water jets for crowd control. BJP leader Vijayendra joined the protest, accusing the Congress government of delivering injustice to these communities.

Key Points: Bhovi Banjara Protest Escalates Over Karnataka Internal Reservation Injustice

  • Protesters overturned barricades and blocked arterial roads near Freedom Park
  • Demanded CM Siddaramaiah or Social Welfare Minister personally address grievances
  • Traffic completely halted from Anand Rao Circle to K.R. Circle
  • BJP State President Vijayendra expressed solidarity with agitators
2 min read

Internal reservation protest escalates in Bengaluru, traffic comes to screeching halt

Bengaluru traffic halted as thousands from Bhovi, Banjara, Korama, Koracha communities protest Congress government's reservation quota allocation, demanding CM Siddaramaiah's presence.

"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has committed an unpardonable sin by delivering injustice to the Bhovi, Banjara, Korama, and Koracha sub-castes. - B.Y. Vijayendra"

Bengaluru, Sep 10

The protest opposing the alleged injustice in the allotment of internal reservation by the Congress-led government in Karnataka escalated in Bengaluru on Wednesday, with agitators overturning barricades and staging a demonstration on the arterial road near Freedom Park, resulting in a huge traffic pile-up.

Thousands of protesters overthrew barricades and blocked the road, demanding that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah or the Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa come to the spot to listen to their grievances.

The protesters, hailing from the Bhovi, Banjara, Korama, and Koracha communities, have been agitating for the allotment of a reservation quota, alleging that they are not given appropriate representation.

The protesters refused to meet government officials and sent them back, insisting that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should come in person.

The protesters argued with the police that they would march to Vidhana Soudha if the CM did not come down to meet them.

Traffic from Anand Rao Circle to K.R. Circle came to a complete halt. Commuters returning home, unaware of the developments, were stuck in traffic for hours. Even ambulances were caught in the jam, and the police struggled to manage the crowd. As a precautionary measure, the police prepared water jets to disperse the mob and stepped up security around Vidhana Soudha.

Earlier, BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra visited the spot and expressed solidarity with the agitators.

Addressing the gathering, he stated, "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is showing total negligence in delivering justice to the oppressed classes. It is not important how many days you have held the post of Chief Minister, but how far you went to provide justice. Injustice should not be done to any of the hundreds of sub-castes in the Scheduled Caste community."

"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has committed an unpardonable sin by delivering injustice to the Bhovi, Banjara, Korama, and Koracha sub-castes. These communities will no longer believe in the Congress party. People have gathered here in thousands, and the Chief Minister is turning a blind eye, refusing to come here. This reflects his mindset," Vijayendra said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Reservation politics has become a tool for both Congress and BJP to play with. These communities have genuine grievances but politicians only show up for photo ops. When will our leaders actually solve problems instead of using them for political mileage?
M
Michael C
As someone working in Bengaluru's tech sector, I see how these protests affect the city's productivity. But we also need to acknowledge that marginalized communities have waited decades for justice. The government should have addressed this before it reached boiling point.
S
Shreya B
The Bhovi and Banjara communities have historically been among the most marginalized. If they're protesting so strongly, there must be genuine injustice in the reservation allocation. Siddaramaiah government should listen to them rather than ignoring. 🙏
V
Vikram M
Typical BJP tactic - Vijayendra showing up to support protests against Congress government. Both parties use reservation as a political weapon instead of finding sustainable solutions. The common people suffer while politicians score points.
Nisha Z
My heart goes out to those stuck in ambulances. Protest is a right, but endangering lives isn't. The government should have anticipated this and started dialogue earlier. Now everyone loses - protesters, commuters, and the city's reputation. 😔

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