Hindu activists detained for bid to gherao Prakash Raj in Dharwad

Dharwad: High drama unfolded outside the Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha in Dharwad on Sunday when a group of BJP and Hindu activists attempted to gherao multilingual actor Prakash Raj.Prakash Raj was in the city to attend a programme scheduled to begin at 5 pm. As he arrived at the venue, the activists raised slogans against him, accusing him of being “anti-Hindu” and “anti-Dharmasthala.”Alert police personnel immediately intervened, dispersed the protesters and took some of them into preventive custody. They were later released.Meanwhile, progressive activists countered the protesters by raising slogans in support of Prakash Raj, describing him as a patriot and giving him a grand welcome.Prakash Raj, however, downplayed the incident and declined to comment on the protests.Later, as the programme at the Vidyavardhaka Sangha was concluding, BJP workers attempted to ask actor Prakash Raj a few questions. After the event, the police escorted Prakash Raj out of the venue amid tight security. The ABVP activists expressed their anger by smearing ink on a photograph of Prakash Raj. Meanwhile, the police detained around 20 ABVP and RSS activists and took them to the Town Police Station.On learning about the incident, MLA Aravind Bellad arrived at the police station. He questioned the police over the arrests, saying, “You arrested only those who raised slogans against actor Prakash Raj. Why were those who raised slogans against the RSS not arrested?.”Later, Bellad told reporters, "Prakash Raj is anti-social and anti-religion. Is it wrong to question his views? The organisers themselves created a commotion when he was questioned. They assaulted those who staged the protest. We will lodge a complaint with the Human Rights Commission regarding the assault,” he said.

Source: Deccan Herald