Union Minister Pralhad Joshi questions Karnataka Police over CM’s dharna at Chief Electoral Officer’s office

Hubballi (Karnataka) [India], October 2 (ANI): Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday questioned the Karnataka Police over the alleged lack of permission for Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his Cabinet colleagues to stage a dharna outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Bengaluru.
“For the first time in the history of Karnataka, the Chief Minister suspended his cabinet meeting and took all his cabinet colleagues in front of a constitutional institution office and sat for dharna for more than five hours,” Joshi said.
He questioned the Karnataka Director General of Police and Bengaluru Police Commissioner over whether an FIR would be registered in connection with the protest.
“When somebody does dharna, including opposition parties or protests, you insist on permission. And as far as I know, Freedom Park has now been reserved for the protest. But the Chief Minister, without any permission, with his entire cabinet colleagues, went and sat before the election office of the Election Commission CEO in Bengaluru. Are you going to file an FIR?” he said.
Joshi said the Karnataka Police should clarify the matter, warning that people could also sit in front of police offices if permission was not required for protests.
“Otherwise, a day may come; I would like to just very politely remind the Karnataka Police Department that any day people may come and sit in front of your office also because there is no need for permission now,” he said.
On the issue of Form 7, Joshi criticised Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and DK Shivakumar for raising the issue.
“And ultimately, what foolishly, stupidly Mr Rahul Gandhi is talking about Form Seven, the same thing is being repeated by Mr D. K. Shivakumar,” he said.
Joshi said Form 7 and related data, statistics and details were available online and that anyone could submit the form.
“Form Seven and any related data for that, statistics for that, or details for that, it is available on the net. Anybody can fill it out and give. And after Form Seven is submitted, they can go, meaning they should go and enquire locally,” he said. (ANI)