Man who threw eggs on Siddaramaiah's car a Congress worker, claims BJP leader
Madikeri, Aug 20: A man who hurled eggs at Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka assembly, Siddaramaiah's car during his visit to Kodagu district to inspect rain-related damages, was a Congress worker, a BJP MLA claimed on Saturday.
Sampath was among a number BJP activists who were arrested for staging a protest against Siddaramaiah on August 18.
A video of the incident in which Sampath is purportedly seen throwing eggs on Siddaramaiah's car has gone viral. However, maintaining distance from Sampath, BJP legislator M P Appachu Ranjan claimed that Sampath was not a BJP activist but a Congress worker.
Responding to the MLA's claims, Sampath said he is indeed a Congress worker and was upset with his party leader Siddaramaiah's alleged remarks made in the past that the Kodavas eat beef.
"I threw eggs because of Siddaramaiah's statement, not because of the protest (organised by BJP). Because of his (Siddaramaiah's) derogatory comments that the people of Kodagu eat beef and statements in favour of Tipu Sultan," Sampath told reporters here.
Sampath said many people in Kodagu dislike Tipu Sultan, the 18th century Mysuru ruler. "I did not like his (Siddaramaiah's) statements. I am a Hindu first and then a Congress worker," he added.
"There are photos of Sampath holding the Congress flag, shawl and banner. If it is proved that he is our party member, then we will expel him...," Ranjan told reporters.
According to the BJP MLA, Sampath is in the construction industry and works as a bar bender, while adding that Sampath's father Sundaramurthy was in the BJP.
Sampath said he had come from Somawarpet to Madikeri, the district headquarter town of Kodagu, for some personal work. He went to have food near the place where he supposedly saw the Bharatiya Janata Party Youth Wing activists protesting against Siddaramaiah's visit.
During his visit to Kodagu to inspect the rain-related damage two days ago, Congress stalwart Siddaramaiah faced the ire of the BJP Youth Wing activists who blocked the road and raised slogans against him.
The BJP leaders vented their anger against Siddaramaiah's statement following violent clashes in Shivamogga on August 15 questioning the saffron party workers for putting up Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's poster in an area predominated by Muslims.
They were also opposing him for organising Tipu Jayanthi when he was the Chief Minister of the state. As CM, Siddaramaiah had started Tipu Jayanthi celebrations to pay tribute to the 18th century ruler of Mysuru.
Some Hindutva activists in Kodagu allege that Tipu Sultan had carried out large-scale conversion and killings of Kodavas, the native community of Kodagu district, during his rule.
During Tipu Jayanthi in November 2015, which the then Congress government had organised, widespread protests broke out in many parts of Karnataka, especially in Madikeri.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah and his loyalists are mulling over taking out a Madikeri Chalo', a march to Madikeri.
It is expected to be similar to the 'Ballari Chalo' movement taken out by Siddaramaiah in September 2010 against the rampant illegal mining of iron ore in the district.
ಮೊಟ್ಟೆ ಎಸೆದಿದ್ದು ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತ ಎಂಬ ಕಾಗಕ್ಕ ಗುಬ್ಬಕ್ಕನ ಕತೆ ಕಟ್ಟಿರುವ @BJP4Karnataka ಉತ್ತರಿಸಬೇಕು.
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) August 20, 2022
ಅವರು ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತರೇ ಆಗಿದ್ದರೆ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಶಾಸಕ ಅಪ್ಪಚ್ಚು ರಂಜನ್ ಠಾಣೆಯಿಂದ ಜಾಮೀನು ಕೊಟ್ಟು ಕರೆತಂದಿದ್ದೇಕೆ?
ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತನಾಗಿದ್ದರೆ ಆತ ಅಪ್ಪಚ್ಚು ರಂಜನ್ಗೇಕೆ ಆಪ್ತನಾಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ. pic.twitter.com/t1FWjZFvDk
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Chhattisgarh: Two killed, six injured in centring frame crash at under-construction building
Raipur, Jan 11: Two workers were killed and six others injured when a centring frame collapsed during the laying of a slab at an under-construction building in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur on Saturday, police said.
The incident occurred in Vishal Nagar area on VIP Road where a multi-storey building is being constructed, Raipur Additional Superintendent of Police Lakhan Patle told PTI.
As per preliminary information, a slab was being laid on 8th floor of the building around 3:30 PM when the centring frame crashed and fell on the ground, he said.
"Eight workers who were trapped under the debris of iron bars and construction material, were evacuated and admitted to different hospitals. Of them, two succumbed to injuries in the hospital," he said.
Police had earlier said 10 injured workers were injured in the incident.
Of the six injured, the condition of one is stated to be serious, Raipur Superintendent of Police Lal Umed Singh said.
Soon after being alerted, police and district administration personnel rushed to the spot and launched a rescue exercise wherein State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was later involved, he said.
As per information, no worker is trapped under the debris but more clarity will be had after the debris is cleared over the next few hours, the SP said.
The under-construction project belongs to a private real estate firm, which has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to kin of each of the deceased, officials said.
Pradyum, a labourer, said he was working on the ground floor when he heard a loud sound of metals falling to the ground.
"Some workers fell from the top where slab laying work was underway. Some workers who were at the ground got trapped under the debris. I and others present got involved in pulling them out," he said.
Meanwhile, some workers, on condition of anonymity, said the site did not have safety measures.
Queried about this aspect, SP Singh said a probe will be conducted into safety protocols and action will follow based on the findings.
