Karnataka government applies brake on Congress rally, BJP convention in saffron bastion Kodagu

The district administration’s order will also apply to a counter-rally planned by the BJP on the same day.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC will be clamped in the Kodagu district from 6 am on 24 August to 6 pm on 27 August.

The district administration has invoked Section 144 to stop the Congress, led by Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, from holding a padayatra.

The protest rally was scheduled to take place on 26 August in response to the heckling of Siddaramaiah and the attack on his car last week.

Posters by BJP Kodagu unit against Congress leader Siddaramaiah. (Supplied)

In response to Siddaramaiah’s call for protest, BJP MLAs from Kodagu called for a “Jana Jagruthi” convention on the same day.

Siddaramaiah has been facing backlash from Kodagu ever since he, as chief minister, converted Tipu Sultan Jayanthi into a government celebration.

The BJP government has put the official celebrations on hold.

Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan is a polarising factor between Hindus and Muslims of Karnataka in general, and Kodagu in particular.

What the order says

Raising concerns over a possible clash between the two political parties and their supporters, the district administration has denied permission to both events.

“Kodagu is a communally sensitive region. If permission is given to any political or religious public convention, rallies, protests, etc, it may lead to communal violence. It can lead to loss of life and livelihood,” a petition from the police department seeking prohibitory orders from the district administration stated.

“Considering the severity of the situation, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrCP and Column 35 under the Karnataka Police Act 1963 will be in effect from 6 am on 24 August to 6 pm on 27 August across the district,” read an order copy signed by Kodagu District Commissioner BC Sathish.

Even as the Congress prepared to consolidate support for the Kodagu padayatra, BJP leaders claimed that the man who threw eggs at Siddaramaiah’s vehicle was a Congress worker. The Congress vehemently denied the charge, sharing photos of the accused in RSS uniform to counter the claim.

What is prohibited?

For the next four days, heavy police deployment will be seen in Kodagu. Prohibitory order will mean:

• No public events will be allowed other than pre-scheduled events like weddings, ceremonies or government programmes
• No rallies, protests, gatherings, or conventions will be allowed
• Not more than five people will be allowed to congregate
• No bursting of crackers
• No wearing or waving black clothes
• No use of loudspeakers for inflammatory or inciteful slogans
• No using controversial banners or posters on vehicles
• No carrying weapons
• No speeches
• No permission to hold fairs, flea markets, weekend markets, etc across the district

Why the prohibitory orders?

Justifying its plea to stop both – Congress and BJP – from holding political events in Kodagu, the police had pointed to multiple cases of communal tensions in the district.

BJP and right wing outfit protestors gherao Siddaramaiah’s car in Kodagu. (Video grab: Supplied)

“In 1997, the entire district witnessed communal riots over a double murder in Virajpete. In 2001, another communal riot broke out over an alleged blasphemy incident at the Paluru Harishchadra Temple,” the police’s petition to the DC pointed out.

“In 2015, Hindutva outfits staged a protest against the state government’s decision to celebrate Tipu Jayanthi. Outfits called for a Kodagu bandh. In the clash between Hindus and Muslims that followed, two people lost their lives and 47 cases were booked. Prohibitory orders had to be imposed for a whole month,” it added.

“In 2016, 2017, and 2018, too, Tipu Jayanthi had to be celebrated under prohibitory orders,” noted the police.

The recent murders in the Dakshin Kannada district were also mentioned as one of the reasons for the tense atmosphere in Kodagu.

“The murders of Praveen Nettaru and Harsha in Shivamogga, Masood in Bellare, and Fazil in Suratkal led to protests in various parts of Kodagu. The recent row involving Savarkar posters also led to tense situations,” the letter read, insisting that a similar situation should not be allowed to arise in the communally sensitive district.

Congress cancels protest rally

Following prohibitory orders, the Karnataka Congress cancelled its Kodagu padayatra, which was scheduled for 26 August. The party was hoping to use the protest rally as a political tool to stamp its presence in the BJP bastion.

The BJP has consistently won both seats from the district, which is a hotbed of communal politics, quite like coastal Karnataka.

“The district administration on the direction of the government has decided to clamp Section 144 of CrPC. No protest rally can take place when prohibitory orders are in force. They have denied permission. We respect the rule of law. Whether with mala fide intent or bona fide intent, they have taken a decision,” Siddaramaiah told reporters on Tuesday.