Mangaluru: Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) leaders and activists staged a protest near Rao and Rao Circle in Mangaluru on Thursday, displaying black flags to ministers and demanding justice for Rahiman Kolthamajal.
The protesters raised slogans seeking justice for Kolthamajal and expressed their opposition to the government’s handling of the matter. The demonstration was held as ministers arrived in the city for the Karnataka Cabinet meeting at Praja Soudha in Padil.
Protest near Rao and Rao Circle
The SDPI demonstration took place near the busy Rao and Rao Circle area, where party leaders and activists gathered with black flags. The protesters raised slogans demanding justice for Rahiman Kolthamajal and criticised the government over its handling of the issue.
The demonstration coincided with the visit of senior state government leaders to Mangaluru for the Cabinet meeting. The meeting is the first Karnataka Cabinet meeting to be held in Mangaluru and has drawn attention from various groups and organisations in the coastal region.
The protesters used black flags as a mark of opposition and sought to draw the attention of the ministers towards their demands. Party workers participating in the demonstration raised slogans and demanded that the government take action in connection with the matter involving Rahiman Kolthamajal.
SDPI leaders detained
Police personnel deployed at the location intervened as the protest continued. SDPI leaders who participated in the demonstration were detained by the police.
The detention followed the gathering of party workers near the busy city junction. Police personnel maintained a presence at the protest site to prevent disruption and manage the movement of people and vehicles in the area.
The protest remained focused on the demand for justice for Kolthamajal, with SDPI leaders reiterating their opposition to the government’s handling of the matter.
Details regarding the number of leaders and activists detained, the sections invoked, and whether they were subsequently released were not immediately available.
Protest coincides with Cabinet meeting
The demonstration comes on a day when the state government is holding its Cabinet meeting in Mangaluru. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Cabinet ministers arrived in the city for the meeting, which is expected to consider several issues concerning coastal Karnataka.
The government’s decision to hold the Cabinet meeting in Mangaluru has brought several regional demands into focus. Representatives of different organisations have been raising issues concerning development, infrastructure, tourism, employment and other matters affecting the coastal districts.
Against this backdrop, the SDPI protest sought to use the presence of ministers in the city to highlight its demand concerning Rahiman Kolthamajal.
Protests and demonstrations during visits by senior political leaders often result in increased police deployment, particularly around major junctions and routes used by ministers. In this case, police personnel detained the SDPI leaders who took part in the demonstration.
Demand for justice
The protesters maintained that the government should address their concerns and provide justice for Rahiman Kolthamajal. The demonstration was accompanied by slogans directed at the government and its handling of the matter.
The detention of the SDPI leaders brought the protest to an end, with police taking the participating leaders into custody.
Further details on the government’s response to the demands raised by SDPI and the circumstances surrounding the detention are awaited.