Vijayapura: An agitation by a forum comprising various organisations to oppose the establishment of a govt medical college on PPP Model in Vijayapura turned ugly on Thursday with police taking into custody 22 persons for allegedly violating the rules and allegedly assaulting policemen. They want the govt to give in writing that the proposed medical college would be run solely by the govt, and not on PPP model.The agitation entered 106th day on Thursday, and the agitators had announced that they would lay seige to district minister M B Patil’s residence on Vijayapura-Solapur Road.As the agitators set off towards Patil’s residence from the DC’s office premises, police stopped them saying there was no permission for the agitators to move towards Solapur Road. Ignoring the police warning, the agitators blocked Solapur Road near Mugalkhod Mutt, causing traffic disruption on the busy road. To clear the road, police started taking the agitators into preventive custody. Meanwhile, Sanganabasava Swami of Hunsahyal in Basavana Bagewadi taluk, who was being taken to a police vehicle, allegedly assaulted a constable and then police sub-inspector Seetaram Lamani of Adarsh Nagar police station.SP Laxman Nimbargi told TOI the agitators had violated the rules by taking out a march without permission. Further, they blocked the road disrupting the normal traffic movement and then assaulted policemen on duty. “We will identify all those who have violated the rules and take action as per law,” the SP added.The agitators have been on sit-in dharna and day-and-night dharna to get their demand fulfilled. District minister Patil, who was earlier in favour of a govt medical college on PPP model, later acceeded to the demand and had promised that he would again take a delegation to chief minister Siddaramaiah when the latter visits Vijayapura on Jan 9. Sugar minister Shivanand Patil has also supported the agitators. Notwithstanding the assurances from the two ministers, the agitators are urging that the govt to give them in writing that their demand will be fulfilled.
