Belthangadi: All political parties irrespective of party affiliations united for a cause and demanded the suspension of forest official who had assaulted an innocent labourer from Puduvettu during a massive protest on October 3.
Congress, BJP, Janata Dal (S) and Communist parties came together along with many other organisations, in a massive protest, demanded action against forest official Keerthan Shetty accused of assaulting labourer Kamal Das. They warned of Belthangadi bandh if their demands were not met by October 7.
They submitted a petition to state chief minister through the area tahsildar demanding suspension of Keerthan Shetty and transfer of the senior forest department official safeguarding the former.
Leading the protestors, local MLA Vasanth Bangera said personally he had spoken to district in-charge minister holding the forest portfolio six times and the chief conservator of forest in Bengaluru four times to apprise them of the seriousness of the situation but to no avail.
Injured Kamaldas who was admitted to a local government hospital was later shifted to District Wenlock Hospital, said Bangera and added presently he was recuperating at a private hospital. The medical expenses involved will be raised through public contribution, said Bangera who termed parties uniting for a cause as a healthy development.
Ranjan Gowda, Harish Poonja representing BJP; Shahul Hameed, Roy, Keshav Belal and Chandan Kamath representing Congress; Praveen Chandra representing JDS; Dalit leader Shekar Laila, A C Mathew, A C Jayaraj representing Malayali Association; Xavier Valiei and K K Sebastian representing Syro-Malabar community spoke on the occasion demanding justice for innocent Kamal Das.
The officials accused of assault are roaming scot-free and this situation should not recur, said protestors in one voice at the venue.
