Vatal takes protest to film chamber’s doorstep

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A group of Kannada activists led by former MLA and President of Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha (KCVP) staged a dharna in front of Karnataka Film Chamber on Saturday seeking participation in the December 31 Karnataka bandh to extend moral support.

The activists claimed that the bandh had been called only to express their solidarity and build pressure on the State government to ban Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti which had been creating trouble in Belagavi City.

The participation of film personalities in the bandh would add weight to the proposed agitation.

Vatal Nagaraj, the president of the KCVP, ruled out pre-proning or postponing the state bandh since they had already taken a decision in this regard. “The people cannot sit and take rest on December 31 as if they were totally disconnected with the issue, “ he said. The release of Kannada movies could be postponed by a week and nothing was going to happen in that period. There was no question of changing the date, he added.

Actors will be smeared with ink: KRV

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Shetty faction) led by Praveen Shetty stated on Saturday that if the Kannada film actors, including all the members of Karnataka Film Chamber do not participate in the bandh, then all actors’ faces will be smeared with ink thrown by Kannada activists. “So, no matter what, we are going ahead with our plan and every once in the state should support this bandh, Shetty said.