‘Day-and-night protest will be staged from Oct 28: Samithi convener Muneer

Mangaluru: The Toll Gate Virodhi Horata Samithi said that the protest against the toll gate cannot be stopped through police forces and cases.

Committee convener Muneer Katipalla and legal advisor Dinesh Ulepady said despite staging a peaceful protest against the Surathkal toll gate on October 18, the police have registered two FIRs on the instruction of the MP and MLAs from BJP.

“We want the authorities to vacate the toll plaza at Surathkal. The police should withdraw the baseless cases registered against the protesters immediately. If they try to arrest the protesters based on the baseless case, we are ready to go to jail. A team of advocates are preparing to fight it legally,” Katipalla told reporters.

On MP Nalin Kumar Kateel’s statement that the toll gate will be vacated within 20 days, Katipalla said that we no longer believe in the MP’s statement.

None of the BJP MLAs have reacted to the issue of toll plaza.

District In-charge Minister V Sunil Kumar had said that the toll gate is likely to be closed by the end of November.

‘’The contradictory statements make us suspect over the closure of toll plaza. As per the MP’s promise, the toll plaza should be vacated on November 7. The Samithi will commence the day-and-night indefinite protest demanding vacating of the toll gate from October 28,” he said.

He said that the protest against toll plaza is apolitical. The protest against toll plaza will not stop till it is vacated and he appealed people to join hands in the success of indefinite protest.

Advocate Dinesh Hegde Ulepady said that the MP’s statement that he will approach the court if the toll gate is not vacated is another delaying tactic.

‘’The government has agreed that it was an illegal toll plaza. However, it has made no attempt to vacate it so far. If the MP and MLAs make up their mind, then the toll gate can be vacated within 24 hours,” he said.

KPCC coordinator Prathibha Kulai said that the police have failed to take action against a man who posted objectionable comment to a video clipping of her participating in the protest against the toll gate.

“I will continue my fight by filing defamation case against Shyama Sudarshan Bhat Hosamoole for posting the comment,” she added.