Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 10: Police on Tuesday allegedly resorted to lathi-charge as the protests by the Panchamasali Lingayats turned violent.

The protestors breached the barricade laid by the police to lay siege to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha where the Karnataka Legislative session is in progress.

The agitation was led by Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami who has been demanding the inclusion of Panchamasali community in the 2A category, which will get them 15 per cent reservation in government jobs and admission in government institutions. Presently, the community is in the 3B category getting five per cent reservation.

The angry agitators damaged government vehicles and also the ones belonging to the MLAs and the MLCs.

ALSO READ: Panchamasali seer upset over restrictions on protests in Belagavi

Seeing the situation going out of hand, the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, R Hitendra, ordered lathi-charge.

As the police beat up all those who came on their way, the agitators ran helter-skelter. Several protestors were injured and were later shifted to the hospital.

The police took many demonstrators under preventive custody.

Get all the latest, breaking news from Karnataka in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Karnataka.

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.



Gandhinagar (PTI): The Gujarat government on Friday announced it plans to amend rules framed under the Gujarat Registration of Marriages Act, saying the move is aimed at plugging loopholes in the existing system.

Speaking in the assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi stressed the need for new norms, alleging that “innocent girls are being trapped” and such practices were spreading “like termites” in society.

He said several people and social organisations had urged the government to amend the marriage registration rules to prevent misuse of procedural gaps.

Referring to what he termed “love jihad”, Sanghavi said it amounted to a “cultural invasion” and asserted that the BJP government could no longer ignore the issue. He said the amendments are aimed at strengthening safeguards in the registration process.

ALSO READ:  Delhi HC asks Jaideep Sengar to surrender in Unnao custodial death case

He said objections and suggestions on the proposed amendments are now invited from the public for 30 days.

“People and organisations can register their suggestions and objections on the Health and Family Welfare Department’s website. The new rules will be implemented after considering these suggestions and objections received by the department,” he said.

Later, the minister’s office shared a document detailing the proposed procedure for marriage registration under the amended rules.

As per the proposed rules, every marriage registration application will need to be submitted before the Assistant Registrar, while applicants must attach a declaration stating whether the bride and groom have informed their parents about the marriage.

Moreover, the bride and groom will have to provide the names, addresses, Aadhaar and contact details of their parents in the application.

The parents of the bride and groom will be informed within ten working days as soon as the Assistant Registrar is satisfied, according to the proposed rules.

The Assistant Registrar will forward the application to the Registrar of the district or taluka concerned. The marriage will be registered 30 days after the Registrar is satisfied that the requirements specified in sub-rules have been met.

The Registrar will upload all these details to an online portal to be created by the government, say the proposed rules.

AAP MLA Hemant Ahir, who had on Thursday introduced a private member's Bill in this regard, and BJP MLA Lavingji Thakor congratulated the deputy CM in the House, saying the proposed changes were the need of the hour.

They said innocent girls were being lured by anti-social elements who exploited loopholes in the existing system to solemnise and register marriages.