State home minister Priyank Kharge on Monday hit back at the state BJP’s ongoing campaign to seek action against T Narasipura police inspector Dhananjaya, who warned organisers of a local Ganpati procession against proceeding towards a mosque on Link Road at a peace meeting on September 7.
“(LoP R) Ashoka was the home minister, wasn’t he? Didn’t he conduct such meetings? Didn’t Basavaraj Bommai do the same? Have I changed anything after coming here? The briefing largely focused on ensuring that organisers adhered to the plans submitted to police. Regulations on sound systems and food preparation alsofeatured prominently. For immersion, DJ vehicles and DJ songs were prohibited. Dhananjaya suggested using traditional instruments including tamate, dolu, nagari and Dollu Kunitha. “Last time during the grand procession, they had not given us information. They went for the procession without informing us.
The town has about 15 to 20 Ganesh pandals each year. “Over a lakh uniformed men and women were away from their own families so that we could celebrate the festival with our families.
Kharge said the government would wait for a report from the superintendent of police before taking a call on the matter. He said the procession route had to be specified beforehand and followed. An orchestra could be held, he said, but not with a DJ-type sound system. Mysuru superintendent of police Mallikarjuna Baladandi said there was no restriction on either the procession route or the festival. “Organisers could use the traditional routes followed in previous years,” he said. So this time we have just told them to give information and take out the procession. As every year, there is permission for procession on Link Road,” Baladandi said. Baladandi said police had asked organisers to provide the dates of immersion and the routes in advance to aid security arrangements. celebrating, dancing and participating in processions, they stood on our roads for hours, managing the crowds, controlling traffic, preventing clashes and ensuring that everyone returned home safely,” said the minister While we were praying.
The rules Ashoka had put in place are the same rules that exist today,” he said.
