Protesters wave black flags at Anant Kumar Hegde, call him anti-national

Anant Kumar Hegde, the hardline Hindutva leader and Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde, who had recently stirred a controversy with his call for changing the Constitution and objectionable remarks mocking secularists, had to face the wrath of activists in Kalaburagi on Wednesday.

Hundreds of activists associated with various organisations including dalit, farmer, labour and women outfits attempted to barge into Aiwan-e-Shahi guest house where he was staying.

However, the police detained the activists who were waving black flags and rigorously raising slogans against the Minister, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The protesters also called Anant Kumar Hegde an anti-national.

Soon after, another team of youths associated with Pragna Yuvaka Sangha emerged with black flags near PDA Engineering College, where the Minister was scheduled to address a public meeting and inaugurate a job fair, and began to raise slogans. The police immediately arrested them.

In a third incident, some people from Pala village who had arrived in the city to participate in the agitation were also detained. All the agitating activists were packed in police vehicles and transported to the police headquarters where they were kept till the Minister left the city. The activists continued to protest in police custody by singing revolutionary songs, delivering speeches and raising slogans against the Minister.

“Mr. Hegde’s remarks on secularists and the Constitution were not the stand of an individual, but indeed the reflection of RSS and BJP ideology. The BJP is making all-out efforts to capture power in the State by polarising communities along religious and caste lines. It is trying to divert people from real issues for gaining political advantage. We should not get diverted. We should get united to fight BJP and Sangh Parivar and ensure that their designs fail,” said K. Neela, vice-president of Janavadi Mahila Sanghatan, while addressing the detained activists at the police headquarters.

Anticipating the protests, a heavy police force was deployed near the guest house as well as PDA Engineering College. Mr. Hegde refused to speak to presspersons by saying, “No issues to speak”.

Leaders of various organisations including Arjun Bhadre, Malleshi Sajjan, Vittal Doddamani, Mallappa Hosamani, Hanumantha Yalasangi, Chandamma and Ashwini were among those detained.