Several people gathered near writer K.S. Bhagavan’s residence in Mysuru on Saturday in response to a call for protest his allegedly provocative remarks against the Vokkaliga community.
The protesters, who had turned up near the writer’s residence in Kuvempunagar in the city in response to a call by Vokkaligara Sangha of Mysuru, and Chamarajanagar, tried in vain to lay siege to the writer’s residence.
The police, however, foiled the attempt of the protesters to lay siege to the writer’s residence by placing barricades. After an angry altercation with the police, the protesters sat on the road to stage a demonstration against the writer.
Prof. Bhagavan, while addressing the gathering at Mahisha Dasara celebration at Town Hall in Mysuru on Friday, made an allegedly derogatory remark against the Vokkaliga community. However, he said the remarks that he was making against the Vokkaligas had been made by poet laureate Kuvempu.
But, the remarks angered the members and supporters of Vokkaliga Sangha, who turned up at Prof. Bhagavan’s house. The protesters shouted slogans against the writer and demanded that he be banished from Mysuru for his allegedly provocative remarks.
The protest led to a disruption in traffic movement on the road. The police arrested some of the protesters but released them later.
Mahisha Dasara
Meanwhile, the organisers of Mahisha Dasara programme have sought to distance themselves from Prof. Bhagavan’s controversial remarks against the Vokkaligas.
Addressing reporters in Mysuru on Saturday, former Mayor Purushotham, who heads the organising committee of the Mahisha Dasara programme, said the remarks made by Prof. Bhagavan were his personal observations.
While expressing regrets for the remarks if they had hurt the sentiments of the Vokkaligas, Mr. Purushotham said Prof. Bhagavan’s observations with regard to Vokkaligas did not reflect their organisation’s views.
