40 taken into custody as police stop rally by youth seeking jobs

Hubballi-Dharwad Police on Monday stopped a protest rally planned by unemployed youth in Dharwad on Monday, as the organisers had not sought permission through the proper channel and that there were clear indications that they were planning to disrupt daily life.

Officers took around 40 youth into custody and closed down coaching centres that they thought were behind the rally. Protestors raised slogans against the State and Central governments when they were stopped from holding the rally at Srinagar Circle.

The Janasamanara Vedike had called for a protest rally in Dharwad, demanding that the State government to fill vacant posts in government departments and relax upper age limit.

However, the twin cities police denied permission citing potential disruption to law and order. But the organisers refused to yield. Convenor Yallappa Hegade said that they would go ahead with their plans. He was among those arrested.

Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar was camping at the protest site since morning. He had deployed police personnel around the city especially in areas that have several coaching centres. Police put up barricades and went around announcing in coaching centres and libraries asking students not to take part in the rally.

The police said that the organisers had not followed due process to obtain permissions and had clandestinely planned to block several important roads to cause long traffic jams. The police social media team had obtained such information and denied permission to the rally.

A similar rally on October 17 had led to a five-hour traffic jam in Dharwad, the police said.

“Even now, it is not too late for the State and Union governments to recognise the plight of unemployed youth across Karnataka and the country. The governments must immediately initiate steps to meet the demands of job aspirants. They must take decisive measures to resolve unemployment by creating large numbers of jobs, including filling existing government vacancies and generating employment through industries,” said Sunil T.R. and Veeresh Naregal, conveners of the vedike.

“If not, we warn the governments that this struggle will intensify in the coming days — democratically, step-by-step, and with greater determination. Hence, before the situation worsens, we urge both the State and Union governments to take steps to fulfil our demands,” the leaders said in a release.