:
Workers of the Congress party took out a march in Chikkamagaluru on Saturday against the price rise and demanded the arrest of former Minister K.S. Eshwarappa.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah led the procession that began at Hanumanthappa Circle and concluded at Azad maidan. Along the march, the protesters carried an empty cylinder to highlight the steep increase in the price of cooking gas in recent days. They raised slogans against the Centre and State Governments.
The workers also demanded the arrest of Mr. Eshwarappa, who had resigned over the allegations of corruption and abetment to suicide of a civil contractor.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, addressing the workers, said Mr. Eshwarappa should be arrested by the police for his role in the suicide of contractor Santosh Patil. If he was not arrested, there were chances of causing damage to evidence. “Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and others are protecting Mr. Eshwarappa. Even before the investigation, the CM has already given him a clean-chit”, he said.
Reacting to the Chief Minister statement that the government would expose misdeeds of the Congress rule, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the BJP had been in power for the last three years. “Why was he silent all these years”, he wanted to know.
Former MP R. Dhruvanarayan, T.D.Raje Gowda, MLA, former MLC Gayatri Shanthe Gowda and others took part in the protest.
