CHIKMAGALUR: Hundreds of the Sangh Parivar activists, including women, courted arrest here on Tuesday when they attempted to take out a procession defying a ban imposed by Deputy Commissioner Nilaya Mitash under Section 35(3) of the Karnataka Police Act.
The procession, which was named “Nagara Sankeerthana Yatra”, was organised by the Bajrang Dal and the Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on the eve of the Datta Mala Abhiyana scheduled to be held at Datta Peeta atop Bababudangiri hills on Wednesday.
After the procession moved for 100 metres, it was stopped by the police who were accompanied by a special executive magistrate. The leaders in the procession were told that they were defying ban orders and would be arrested if they did not disperse.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including its State unit president D.V. Sadananda Gowda, argued with the police and sought permission for 30 minutes to complete the procession. Assuring them that the procession would be peaceful, they urged the officials to use their discretionary powers. (more…)