Job seekers are staging a protest in Dharwad on Tuesday demanding immediate filling of vacancies in various government departments. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A massive protest by job seekers demanding filling up of vacancies in various government departments brought life to a standstill in the central business district of Dharwad on Tuesday as agitators took to the streets, blocking traffic, tearing and burning posters and banners of both ruling and opposition leaders while chasing the police as well as opposition leaders.
The massive protest, which finally ended at around 4:30 pm, also caught the attention of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who issued an official statement assuring them of expediting the process within the legal framework as well as the reasons for the delay in recruitment and what he said was the politics being played by BJP leaders on the issue.
Thousands of candidates, mainly those enrolled in competitive exam coaching centers in Dharwad, got off to a peaceful start, but the situation escalated when police efforts to stop them from holding a protest rally were futile and the decision to detain their leader Kanthakumar R. failed.
After the job seekers gathered at Srinagar Circle near Karnataka University, they wanted to take out a protest march to Jubilee Circle, but the police refused permission to do so citing law and order problems.
All Karnataka State Students Association (AKSSA) president Kanthakumar had a verbal exchange with Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar against this, which led to his detention.
This development further enraged the protesters who then tore and burnt the posters and banners of the Chief Minister, Deputy Minister and Ministers.
Banners of BJP leaders raised in support of the protest also bore the brunt.
Police personnel standing guard in an attempt to prevent protesting job seekers from advancing in Dharwad on Tuesday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Slogan ‘Go Back’
The protesters were also angry with BJP leaders who came to express solidarity with them after calling for a protest in their support.
The protesters raised “Go back” slogans against Leaders of Opposition in the Assembly and Council R. Ashoka and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and Deputy Leader of Opposition Arvind Bellad.
Some even threw torn posters at them. The protesters were in no mood to listen to the words of Mr. Ashok and Mr. Narayanaswamy.
Despite barricades erected by police to discourage protesters from continuing with their protest plan, job seekers marched to Jubilee Circle.
At one point, Mr. Shashikumar warned the protesters against taking the law into their own hands.
Job seekers blocked Jubilee Circle and BJP leaders who came again to join their protest had to be heard chanting ‘Go Back’. Only Mr. Arvind Bellad was allowed to speak on the occasion. He demanded that the vacancies be filled soon.
The protest ended with Mr. Kanthakumar submitting a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner R. Snehal, who assured the protesters that he would hand it over to the state government.
When Mr. Kanthakumar insisted that the agitation could continue, he was detained by the police a second time. The police then dispersed the crowd.
Even after the protest, the police worked to tighten security along the road that leads to Sri Nagar Circle, home to dozens of coaching institutes.
Published – 24 Feb 2026 20:17 IST
