Shivamogga, a district seemingly perpetually in a state of public grievance, has witnessed a relentless cascade of protests. Parties, seemingly taking turns to voice their outrage, have marshalled their supporters against perceived wrongs, real or imagined. These demonstrations, spanning from February 2026 back to late 2023, paint a picture of persistent friction between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Indian National Congress, and the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)). The sheer frequency suggests a localized political theatre where public assembly serves as a primary mode of discourse, or perhaps, a lack thereof.
A Shifting Landscape of Accusations
The narratives underpinning these protests are as varied as the colours on a political banner.
February 21, 2026, saw the BJP's youth wing take to the streets. Their ire? A Congress-led protest against an AI summit in Delhi. The BJP supporters attempted to surround the district Congress office, an act the city police apparently found necessary to obstruct.
Just days prior, on February 21, 2026, Congress workers, specifically the Youth Congress, were demanding the removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their reasoning: an alleged tarnishing of India's international image, citing dubious connections to the Jeffrey Epstein files and a purported role in a 2017 Israel visit. This act of protest culminated in demands for the President to immediately dismiss the Prime Minister.
The preceding year, 2025, was a busy one for Shivamogga's demonstrators.
On April 18, BJP Yuva Morcha members directed their anger towards Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, citing the National Herald case.
A few days earlier, on April 16, Congress workers mirrored this focus, protesting the Enforcement Directorate's chargesheet against the same two leaders, framing it as the BJP government misusing agencies for political ends.
Earlier in April, April 12, the BJP initiated a "Janakrosha Yatre," protesting the rising cost of essential commodities. This was followed by farmers on April 15 who protested against notices being issued to cultivators.
In June 2025, Youth Congress activists again voiced concerns about fertilizer price hikes, a move they described as an "attack" on farmers by the central BJP government.
Later, on September 24, the BJP resurfaced, this time criticizing the Congress government for allegedly ignoring development and failing to fix potholes.
Then, on August 23, the BJP was protesting again, alleging a conspiracy to tarnish the image of Dharmasthala, directing their slogans against the Karnataka government and the Congress.
The year 2024 also had its share of public spectacles.
On November 4 and 22, the BJP staged protests concerning Waqf properties, accusing the Congress government and a specific minister of attempting to take over land belonging to farmers and religious institutions.
In September, a JD(S) leader, Kantharaj, questioned the delay in forming a 'bagair hukum' committee for Shivamogga taluk, suggesting a governmental oversight or deliberate exclusion.
Back in August, Congress workers protested the Governor's approval for the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, burning tyres and directing slogans against the "BJP-JD(S) coalition".
The year 2023 was marked by the following:
In December, the BJP protested the seizure of huge cash during IT raids on firms linked to Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu, questioning the Congress's silence on the matter.
Simultaneously, in December, Congress workers protested the Parliament security breach, demanding an inquiry into the role of Mysuru MP Pratap Simha.
Earlier in September, the BJP's district unit accused the Congress government of ignoring the plight of farmers.
Looking back further, a noteworthy instance from November 12, 2025, involved Youth Congress workers protesting a blast near Red Fort in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over alleged security lapses.
A starkly different protest occurred on February 15, 2020, when Congress and JD(S) members created a disturbance at the Shivamogga City Corporation meeting. Their grievance? A significant delay in the construction of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, an issue attributed to "official negligence" and "beneficiary non-cooperation" with loan processes.
A History of Public Disagreements
This consistent pattern of public demonstrations in Shivamogga highlights a deeply entrenched political friction. Whether directed at central government policies, state government actions, or perceived national security issues, these protests serve as a barometer of the prevailing political climate. The invocation of national figures like Prime Ministers and Union Ministers, alongside localized issues such as housing projects and land disputes, indicates a complex interplay between grassroots grievances and broader political narratives. The repetition of themes—farmers' issues, alleged corruption, government inaction, and political vendettas—suggests that these are not isolated incidents but rather recurring fault lines in the region's political discourse.
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