Karnataka: Cops stop journos wearing black T-shirts

Bengaluru: Around 11:30 am, I entered Vidhana Soudha after displaying my media accreditation card and was joined by a reporter from another English daily. Our destination was the banquet hall where the state government had organised a function to celebrate the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan.

A large posse of policemen was deployed at the entrance of the hall where everyone was frisked. We were asked to show our identity cards at the gate opposite the high court and allowed inside.

While moving towards the media enclave, a cop in plain clothes came to us and said, "You are not allowed inside.” Shocked, we politely asked for the reason and pat came the reply, “You two are wearing black coloured T-shirts and are here to protest. We have instructions not to allow those wearing black coloured shirts inside the hall".

Initially, we though it was a joke but the cop was serious and insisted we show our identity card to make sure we are scribes. Asked whether the government has fixed a dress code for the function, he curtly replied 'no'. It’s a mystery who in the police department came with the brilliant idea of not allowing those in black inside the hall.

Finally, after showing our media accreditation cards issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations, we were allowed in. Incidentally, Vidhana Soudha was converted into a fortress for the event with cops allowing people in only if they had invitation and identity cards.

Almost all the chairs inside the banquet hall were vacant due to tight police security. The Yakshagana artists were made to sit in the empty chairs to show the hall was packed!