Protest vs protest: Govt prepared for Congress, BJP agitations, says Karnataka HM Parameshwara

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said all necessary security precautions have been taken ahead of the protests planned by the ruling Congress and BJP here on August 5.

While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will lead a rally against "vote theft" during the Lok Sabha polls last year at Freedom Park in the city, the opposition BJP will hold a counter-protest at Vidhana Soudha "to inform the public about the misleading stand of Congress".

The day will also see state-wide protests by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) employees.


Speaking to the reporters, the Home Minister said, "The government has the capability to handle everything. Adequate police personnel have been deployed for security. Instructions have been issued for all necessary measures." Parameshwara also gave more details about the Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF), formed to eradicate drugs in Bengaluru city.

"They function like a task force. They act based on wherever the information comes from. We have already given specific instructions to every Superintendent of Police," said the minister.

He also added that to make it even stronger, personnel from Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) have been transferred to ANTF.

"We have declared that there are no more Naxals in Karnataka. In that context, there was a discussion on disbanding the ANF. However, we decided to retain it and reduce the number of personnel. About 200 to 250 personnel were taken from ANF to the Special Action Force. We had taken them for Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Now, since there was a staff shortage in Bengaluru, a few were taken from ANF. If there is a need again, we will redeploy personnel."

He also said the report of the statewide survey of Scheduled Castes (SC), overseen by Justice Nagamohan Das Commission, will be submitted to the Chief Minister on Monday.

"After that, the government will act based on the contents of the report. We undertook this with the intention of ensuring internal reservation, and we will implement it," said the minister.