Mandya: Keragodu village continues to be tense after Hanuman flag removed; protests continue
Mandya, Jan 29: The situation remained tense in Keragodu village near here, but under control on Monday, a day after it witnessed strong protests and police action, following the removal of a saffron flag bearing Lord Hanuman's picture hoisted on a 108-ft tall flag post by the authorities.
A large contingent of police force has been deployed as a precautionary measure, as people in and around the village, along with BJP, JD(S) and Bajrang Dal workers and activists from other organisations continued to protest the removal of the 'Hanumana dwaja' flag and demanded that it be hoisted once again.
The protesters began their protest march to the Deputy Commissioner's office in the district headquarters of Mandya city holding saffron flags as a mark of protest. According to reports, they are likely to be joined by JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.
Police on Sunday had resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control. The police and administration had hoisted the Tricolour on the flag pole from which the 'Hanumana dwaja' was removed.
Police have also erected barricades around the flagpole and CCTV cameras have been installed in the area to secure the place and to ensure that no untoward incident occurs, official sources said.
Most shops and establishments have remained shut in the village, they said, as protesting activists and villagers had given a call for a voluntary shutdown.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders and workers are holding protests at all the district headquarters of the state today, condemning the "anti-Hindu policy" of the Congress state government and accusing it of "insulting" the national flag.
In Bengaluru, BJP staged a protest at Mysuru Bank circle under the leadership of Jayanagara MLA C K Ramamurthy. They were detained and taken away by the police. Police said no permission was granted to stage a protest at the site.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
