Traffic came to a standstill in the central parts of the city on Tuesday morning when BJP workers took to the streets near Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in protest against the recent hike in property tax by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike.
Traffic on several adjoining roads, including M.G. Road, Brigade Road, Church Street and Residency Road, was affected.
A huge crowd had gathered outside the stadium. They marched to the BBMP headquarters around 10.30 a.m. forcing traffic police to divert vehicles to adjoining roads.
State BJP president and former Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, former Deputy Chief Minister R. Ashoka, Member of Parliament P.C. Mohan, MLAs Suresh Kumar and C.N. Ashwath Narayan were among those who were detained by the police.
The protesters were bundled into buses and taken to the KSRP grounds in Adugodi where they were detained for a few hours.
Mr. Yeddyurappa, who led the protest, said that the BJP would continue the protest unless the Mayor revokes the suspension of four BJP councillors who had been suspended last week for misbehaving in the council meeting. “Either revoke their suspension or suspend all 101 councillors. This protest is against the hike in property tax, which we want rolled back completely as well as against the city’s pathetic garbage situation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BBMP headquarters wore a deserted look, and its gates were boarded up. No one was allowed to enter the premises for several hours.
