Chief Officer assaulted for removing banners & buntings, Mangalore

"DC V. Ponnuraj "

13-03-09 Shivalinga Kondaguli, Chief Officer of the Bantwal Muncipal Council was allegedly assaulted late on March 11, 2009 Wednesday by a suspected Hindutva activist while he was leading a team of officials who were removing banners and buntings put up by a temple committee for Brahma Kalashotsava. Banners, buntings, posters and flags have been banned from public spaces as they are in contravention of the model code of conduct.

According to police records, at about 9.30 p.m. about 200 people gathered near the Doomavathi temple near the Bantwal bypass road on learning about the administration’s move to pull down material put up by the temple committee. They entered into an argument with the officials following which president of the temple committee Chandrashekhar Shetty allegedly assaulted Mr. Kondaguli. The injured officer was rushed to a private hospital in Mangalore where, after being provided first aid, he refused to be admitted as an in-patient. A case has been registered.

Officials of Mangalore City Corporation removed the banners, buntings, flags and hoardings, mainly of religious nature, from different parts of the city on March 12, 2009, following a direction from the Election Commission.

The Commission had directed that display of religious and political advertisements, hoardings, banners, buntings, posters, flags and stickers in open public places and transport vehicles should not be allowed as per the model code of conduct for the coming general elections. Deputy Commissioner V. Ponnuraj had warned on March 11, 2009 that officials would book cases against those who did not adhere to the orders of the Election Commission from Thursday. Restrictions on display would not apply for those appearing on private vehicles, he said.

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