MANGALORE : People who had gathered near Karangalpady in the city on Saturday when the Sangh Parivar activists were staging a protest against the city corporation moves to demolish the Ashwathakatte to facilitate road widening, were in for a surprise when they heard the Parivar activists shouting slogans against BJP leaders and the BJP led Mangalore City Corporation administration.
Parivar leaders including Bhajrangdal leader Vinay Shetty and VHP leader Jagadish Shenava were seen exchanging heated words with Legislator Yogish Bhat, while hundreds of Hindu activists shouted slogans denouncing the MCC administration as well as Mayor Shanker Bhat.,
The mayor in fact was forced to exit from the venue when the agitators began using abusive words against him.
Though the Sangh Parivar activists had demanded that the Ashwathakatte as well as the tree be retained while undertaking the road widening works, the mayor had agreed to resize the base platform so that the road widening process was smooth.
But on Saturday, when MCC officials had arrived at the spot, there were rumours that the trees would be felled, in turn leading to a tense situation when thousands of Hindu activists gathered in the area.
Deputy Commissioner Ponnuraj, Additional SP Amith Singh, Mayor Shanker Bhat and other leaders held talks with the agitators who eventually cooled down when the authorities said the tree would not be cut while undertaking the widening works.
The agitation was withdrawn after the officials assured that the road works would be done in such a manner that it would not hurt the religious sentiments of anyone.

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