Hassan was deliberately kept as the last item on the agenda of Janadesh Abhiyan since it was apprehended that the meet may turn violent. Escaping unhurt as his security guard and other leaders built a human shield Hegde, put the blame squarely on Prime minister Deve Gowda and his minister son Revanna and MP Kumaraswamy.
It would not have happened without the tacit approval of Deve Gowda and his sons, Hegde reacted after reaching safety. It shows the culture of the Prime Minister. It clearly establishes how vindictive, autocratic and feudalistic the Prime minister is, Hegde said.
It all began some twenty minutes into the public meeting at silver jubilee park at Hassan, which was well attended contrary to expectations. Police had information that the meeting may be disturbed and had posted almost its entire 2,000 strong force at the site.
A Vokkaliga leader and former minister H T Krishnappa started off the meet by recalling how Deve Gowda was in wilderness after losing 1994 assembly polls and how Hegde gave him back his political life.
A two hundred strong mob, which had taken position in the middle of the ground, then started pelting stones shouting pro Deve Gowda slogans. Stones chappals and other missiles started raining on the dais from all sides, even as the crowd started running helter skelter. The police remained where they were. Some two dozen leaders on the dais, including Hegde stood upto counter the slogan shouting by chanting Vande Mataram.
The raining of stones and missiles went on for almost 12 minutes and Vedike leaders, who had ordered for cane shields, tried to cover Hegde and his wife Shakuntala. Hegde's guard Rangaswamy was hit badly on his back and shoulders. A dozen leaders and workers of RNNV received injuries.
Daring the rowdy mob, Hegde said: Come on, hit me. Kill me. If it satisfies you, you may even rain stones on my deadbody before burying it here. By this time the crowd, which was on the run, returned to the grounds seeing Hegde braving the attackers. Hegde said: Deve Gowda thought I was politically eliminated when he expelled me. Now you are trying to physically eliminate me at his behest.
The crowd which had come back roared in approval much to the chagrin of the rowdy elements who began a second round of stone throwing. By this time, cops cordoned off the stone pelting group and took them out of the ground even as the crowd shouted at the police.
Talking to reporters on his way back from Hassan to Bangalore Hegde said i am also a vokkaliga , not a poojary to runaway from the battlefield. He said we knew it is goig to happen but never expected it to be so well planned and merdorous .Incidentally Hassan police escorted only Hegde and his wife to safty till the district border leaving score of other leaders of RNNV at the mercy of booing and jeering crowd at Hassan and on their way back.
The third and final leg of district tour to get Janadesh by the entourage of RNNV led by Hgede had taken off to a violent reception when it decided to take vokkaliga heartland beginning from Ramanagar in Bangalore rural district. At the Prime minister Devegowda's assembly constituency ( Pm still to resign as an mla). Later at sericulture minister and Devegowda supporter Varadegowda's constiotuency Channapatna Hegde's entourage faced rotten eggs and stones and some eggs filled with acid. But the climax was reached at Hassan where the mob was unrelenting and execuited well planned attack , said Dr alva state conmvener of RNNV. He said police actively connived with the attackersbut it was the crowd which stood by us to save the leaders from getting stoned to death.
Police , according to state police headquarters , have taken seven miscreants into preventive custody.Quoting the district SP Ms savita hande , police headquarters claimed that breach of conduct was the cause for the event which was brought under control by the timely intervention of police.
