Ban around Nityananda’s campus

[1]

The standoff between Nityananda and his disciples on one side, and some sections of the electronic media and pro-Kannada activists on the other escalated on Friday and police imposed ban orders around the godman’s sprawling campus in Bidadi, Ramanagar district.

Police also arrested 10 ashramites and 20 pro-Kannada activists. On Friday evening, JMFC judge Roopa granted bail to eight Nityananda’s followers.

The flashpoint for the trouble was a press conference organised by Nityananda’s followers on Friday to explain their version on the tussle between reporters of a television channel and ashramites on Thursday.

But Ramanagar superintendent of police Anupam Agarwal had warned the godman’s followers not to hold any interaction with the media.

As the press meet was going on inside the ashram, the guru’s followers and pro-Kannada activists clashed at the gates of Dhyanapeetham ashram, forcing police to clamp ban orders under Section 144 in the area till June 13.

The press meet had been called at 2 pm, and media men started walking in around 1 pm. But ashram authorities barred entry to members of the Kannada news channel, which reported extensively on the controversy, saying they had been stoking a non-issue.

This led to tension and pro-Kannada activists took up the cause of the television channel reporters. The situation turned ugly when the two sides started beating each other. Police intervened and lathi-charged them to bring the situation under control.

The police registered cases against 10 Nityananda’s disciples and 20 pro-Kannada activists. All of them were picked up and produced before the judge.