Amidst chaos in assembly, Karnataka government tables bill banning cow slaughter in the state
Bengaluru: Amidst protests from the opposition parties Congress and JD(S), the BJP government in the state on Wednesday tabled the bill banning cow slaughter in the state.
After Minister of Animal Husbandry Prabhu Chauhan presented the bill, Leader of Opposition and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah objected to the speaker of the assembly Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, adding that it was decided by the committee of the assembly to present only relevant bills during the session.
Siddaramaiah further added that it was not right to present a new bill all of a sudden during the session as against the resolution made by the committee members.
Replying to the objection of Siddaramaiah, the speaker added that if there were any bills with significant importance it could be tabled on Wednesday and Thursday, hence he allowed the government to proceed with it.
Congress members led by Siddaramaiah and JD(s) members marched towards the speaker’s seat and protested against the presentation of the bill and the attitude of the government. This was followed by an altercation between the members of the ruling party and opposition parties. Slogans were shouted against the government by opposition party members and the ruling party shouted slogans against the members of the opposition as Prabhu Chavan presented the bill amidst chaos in the assembly.
The speaker had to adjourn the assembly for 10 mins due to the chaos.
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Protest against demolition drive turns violent in Kolkata, 3 cops injured
Kolkata (PTI): A protest against the recent bulldozer action in Kolkata's Tiljala turned violent on Sunday as demonstrators hurled stones at police personnel in the minority-dominated Park Circus area, injuring at least three officials and damaging several vehicles.
The flare-up came days after bulldozers rolled into Tiljala as part of the West Bengal government's demolition drive against alleged illegal constructions following the factory fire that killed two persons earlier this week.
On Sunday afternoon, a large number of people gathered near Park Circus Seven Point Crossing to protest against the anti-encroachment drive and attempted to block roads, police said.
As police tried to disperse, what they described as an "unlawful assembly", a section of protesters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting, triggering chaos in the area.
Several vehicles parked along the roadside, including those carrying central forces, were vandalised, officials said.
Heavy deployment of Kolkata Police and central forces was made in the area after the clashes. Route marches and intensified patrolling were undertaken in adjoining localities to prevent further escalation and restore normalcy.
Kolkata Police Additional Commissioner Ashesh Biswas said action has already been initiated against those involved in the violence.
"Some people tried to block the road. It was an illegal gathering. The police were trying to disperse them, and there was pelting of stones. Three of our colleagues were injured," Biswas told reporters.
"We have already arrested a few people," he said.
The officer said police followed standard operating procedures, and efforts were underway to identify all those involved in the violence.
"There was an attack on the police. We will see who is behind it and arrest everyone. Strict legal action will be taken," he added.
While the police maintained the agitation was linked to administrative action against illegal buildings, some locals claimed that grievances over alleged restrictions on the use of loudspeakers during religious prayers and curbs on offering prayers on roads had also contributed to the tensions.
The developments come close on the heels of tension in Kolkata's Rajabazar area on Friday, where a standoff broke out after a group of people allegedly attempted to offer prayers on a public road despite restrictions on blocking traffic.
According to police sources, a large contingent of personnel reached the area and asked people to vacate the road, after which the situation turned tense briefly.
Members of the local community argued that holding Friday prayers on roads had been a long-standing practice in the locality, while the administration maintained that keeping roads clear was necessary for traffic movement and maintenance of law and order.
Police, however, did not indicate any direct connection between the Rajabazar incident and Sunday's violence in Park Circus.
Authorities also did not immediately disclose the number of persons arrested in Sunday's clashes or whether any protesters sustained injuries during the confrontation.
