Lingayats protest demanding 2A reservation

Belagavi: Police resorted to a lathi charge on Tuesday to disperse protesters demanding 2A reservation for Panchamasali Lingayats after they attempted to storm the Suvarna Soudha during the ongoing winter session of the state legislature.

The protest, organized under the banner of Panchamasali Sangharsha Samavesha, was led by Lingayat Panchamasali Seer Basavajaya Mrityunjaya Swamiji and held near the Suvarna Soudha in the morning.

On Monday, the seer had urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to personally visit the protest site and issue an official order granting 2A reservation to the community, promising to felicitate him upon fulfilling their demand. He had warned that failure to do so would prompt protesters to march toward the Suvarna Soudha.

The convention on Tuesday witnessed participation from several politicians.

Ministers HC Mahadevappa, V Venkatesh, and D Sudhakar visited the protest site to pacify the agitators, assuring them that their demands would be communicated to the Chief Minister.

Tensions escalated when the protesters breached barricades set up by the police and moved toward the Suvarna Soudha. The police resorted to a lathi charge to control the crowd. Reports indicate that a section of the protesters also pelted stones at the police.

During the commotion, police officials whisked away Swamiji from the site, while leaders including MLAs Aravind Bellad, Basangouda Patil Yatnal, and Eranna Kadadi were detained as a preventive measure and taken in the bus. They were released later.

Addressing the media, Seer Basavajaya Mrityunjaya Swamiji condemned the lathi charge, expressing his anger toward the government.

“We expected the Chief Minister to come and provide assurance. When that did not happen, we attempted to meet him ourselves. Instead, the police resorted to a lathi charge by the time we reached the highway,” he said.

The Swamiji questioned whether the police action could have been undertaken without the Chief Minister's knowledge.

“They came to power with our votes. The people here believed that the government they elected would address their concerns. Instead, the police lathi-charged citizens, including women. Many have sustained injuries,” he said.

Vowing to continue the agitation, Swamiji declared, “Let the Chief Minister admit if he cannot provide the reservation. If that is the case, we will bring a government of our choice in the 2028 elections to fulfill our demands.”

He also called for rasta roko protests at village, taluk, and district levels on Thursday and demanded the suspension of the ADGP and Belagavi Police Commissioner for the lathi charge. Swamiji further assured the injured that their medical expenses would be supported as far as possible.