Yediyurappa & his son Vijayendra want to divide Veerashaiva- Lingayat community: Basanagouda Patil
Bengaluru, Feb 15: Rebel BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil on Sunday alleged that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, his son B Y Vijayendra, the BJP state vice president, were making a systematic attempt to divide the dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayat community for their political gain.
"Whenever Yediyurappa gets an indication from the top that there is a threat to his chair (position), he uses the Veerashaiva-Lingayat issue for his benefit.
His son (Vijayendra) too does so on similar lines.
They have the ill-intention of not granting OBC status to the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community," Yatnal told reporters in Tumakuru.
He alleged that Vijayendra and Minister Murugesh Nirani were trying to systematically divide the community and said they would never succeed.
Yatnal has often been taking part in the agitation by Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami of Kudalsangama mutt for OBC (2A category) status to the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community.
The seer last week started on a padayatra from Kudalasangama to Bengaluru to press for the demand and is supported by various seers and leaders of the Veerashaiva and Lingayat communities.
Yatnal alleged that Yediyurappa, a Lingayat himself, was not keen on granting 2A status to the community.
The Vijayapura MLA said no government order has been issued or a gazette notification published on the OBC-2A status to the Lingayat-Veerashaiva community.
To a question on the show cause notice issued by the BJP high command for speaking against the Chief Minister and others, he said he was yet to receive it.
He alleged that issuing the notice was part of a false propaganda to stop other BJP MLAs from speaking.
Yatnal has been up in arms against the Chief Minister and his son Vijayendra and has even said that Yediyurappa would be 'removed' from his position shortly.
Yatnal's outburst against the CM intensified after the cabinet expansion when he was not included in it,despite being a senior party functionary and a former union minister.
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Car driver alleges assault by auto drivers after minor road incident in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): In a suspected case of road rage, a car driver was allegedly chased and assaulted by two autorickshaw drivers following a minor road incident on Sarjapur Road here, police said on Monday.
The incident occurred on March 25 around 8.20 pm when Shriraj Bhardwaj, a native of Ajmer in Rajasthan, and his colleague were driving on Sarjapur Road and allegedly encountered an autorickshaw coming from the wrong side of the road, they said.
The victim later lodged an online complaint regarding the incident on March 26.
A senior police officer said that in this connection, a Non-Cognisable Report (NCR) has already been registered at the Bellandur Police Station and further investigation into the matter is underway.
Registration of NCR means the complaint has been noted in the station diary, but a formal FIR and investigation will require further legal steps or magistrate approval, police said.
Following the incident, Bhardwaj took to 'X', recalling the episode and claiming that it began with a negligible touch between the vehicles that caused no damage.
"What followed was not an argument, it was a chase. The auto driver started aggressively chasing us, trying to block our car multiple times in moving traffic, hitting the vehicle, and attempting to open the doors. We chose not to engage and instead tried to reach a safe place," he alleged.
According to him, the situation escalated when another autorickshaw joined the chase. Together, they allegedly blocked their path near Sarjapur Bridge, and one of them picked up a concrete stone and smashed the windshield of his car while they were still inside.
"We somehow managed to reach RGA Tech Park, thinking a gated office space would mean safety. It didn't. Both drivers followed us inside. Before I could even step out of the car, I was physically assaulted, repeatedly hit in the face, leaving me injured," he alleged.
"Only after things calmed down did the main accused flee. When the police arrived, the second driver apologised in front of them," Bhardwaj further alleged.
He said that following the incident, he has made up his mind to leave Bengaluru and never return.
Bellandur police said they have registered a non-cognisable report and traced the autorickshaw driver.
"The complainant is yet to record his statement for further action. We have been trying to contact him but he informed us that he is out of state. Further inquiry into the matter is underway," the officer said.
The auto driver, however, has alleged that his vehicle was damaged and that he was asking them to stop the car to resolve the issue, but they did not stop, which led to the incident.
