Cong stages protest against BJP MLA over outbursts against

Opposition Congress in Karnataka on Wednesday staged a protest here condemning ruling BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal for calling centenarian Gandhian H S Doreswamy a fake freedom fighter and accusing him of behaving like a Pakistan agent.

A day after his remarks triggered a controversy, Yatnal, a former union minister, said he stood by the statement and there was no question of withdrawing it, saying Doreswamy was only a "mouthpiece" of Congress and JDS.

Led by former chief minister and Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah, they Congress workers held the demonstration in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat.

They demanded that the assembly membership of Yatnal be revoked.

Senior Congress leaders including state unit Working President Eshwar Khandre, G Parameshwara, Ramesh Kumar, K B Koliwad and legislators participated in the protest holding placards against Yatnal.

Slogans Down Down BJP, Yatnal, Arrest Yatnal reverberated and the protestors even called the BJP MLA a traitor.

Addressing the protestors, Siddaramaiah claimed Yatnal was unfit to be a legislator.

He has no quality to remain as an MLA. They (Yatnal and BJP) belongs to Sangh Parivar, and they never fought any freedom struggle, none of them ever fought for freedom.," he said.

Not only Yatnal, there were several leaders in BJP, including a few Ministers, who speak against the Constitution and freedom fighters, he alleged.

Speaking to reporters in Vijayapura, Yatnal said there was no question of taking back his comments on Doreswamy and he would not bow down to such 'threats' from Congress.

His (Doreswamy) conduct shows what he is. He is just the mouth piece in favour of JD(S) and Congress. Let Congress do agitation against those involved in anti-national activities and those shouting pro-Pakistan slogans," he said.

Let Congress learn to protest against incidents in Hubbali and Bengaluru where slogans were raised by"a few people who are like Pakistani agents, he added.