The Karnataka Police were on alert as the deadline given by Lingayat seer Basava Jayamrutynjaya Swamiji to the ruling BJP government to declare reservation was ending on Thursday.
Taking no chances, the department was deputing more than 5,000 police personnel for the massive convention to be held opposite to the Belagavi Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.
The Lingayat seer, who had set the deadline, had warned that lakhs of people, who are attending the convention, would lay siege to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha of Belagavi if reservation was not declared.
The padayatra started from Hirebagewadi in the outskirts of Belagavi and is expected to reach Suvarna Vidhana Soudha by noon. The convention will be held at Bastawadi located opposite to Suvarna Vidhana Soudha. The police sources say that about two lakh people are expected to take part in the convention.
The seer has not budged from his stand. "We will celebrate if reservation is declared, if not we will lay siege to Suvarna Vidhana Soudha," Basava Jayamrutynjaya Swamiji said.
Police department taking no chances has deputed six Superintendent of Police, 11 ASP's, 40 DySP's, 106 CPI's, 275 PSI's, 234 women cops, 16 platoons of City Armed Reserve (CAR), 35 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and 10 platoons of Quick Response Team (QRT).
Panchamasaali Lingayats are demanding reservation under the 2A category. The ruling BJP is in a fix over the granting of reservation as various communities are staking claim for reservation. The government had recently announced hiking the quota of reservation for SCs and STs.
Beside this, on Thursday 11 different organisations are staging a protest for fulfilment of their demands.
(With inputs from IANS)
