Belagavi (PTI): The protests by Panchamasali Lingayat community demanding their inclusion in the 2A category of Other Backward Castes (OBC) intensified on Thursday with the BJP backing them.

The Panchamasali Lingayat community led by the pontiff of Kudalasangama Panchamasali Math Basava Jayamruthyunjaya Swami is demanding their inclusion in 2A category. The community is presently placed under the 3B category, which gets five per cent reservation in government jobs and education institutions, whereas the 2A category, to which they want to be migrated, gets a 15 per cent reservation.

The agitators were lathi charged by the police on Tuesday, drawing sharp criticism from various quarters, including the BJP.

The Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, staged a protest against the police high-handedness in front of the statue of B R Ambedkar near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.

The Legislative Council Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, BJP state chief B Y Vijayendra and several MLAs and MLCs too joined Ashoka in the protest.

Speaking on the occasion, Ashoka said the government responded with a lathi charge when Panchamasali Lingayats demanded reservations under 2A category.

Panchamasali Math pontiff staged a demonstration near the toll plaza at Hirebagewadi in Belagavi on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway 4. They raised slogans calling Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy 'anti-Lingayat'.

Due to the road blockade, several vehicles, including three ambulances, were stuck in the traffic jam. After the police requested the pontiff, the blockade was cleared.

In Hubballi, a human chain was formed at President Hotel Circle and tyres were set on fire to block the road. Slogans were raised against the Congress government.