BENGALURU, Jan. 12 -- Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday brushed aside the Bharatiya Janata Party's plan to take out a march condemning recent violence in Ballari, saying the opposition was free to protest but questioned its political motives.

Responding to a query about the BJP's proposed padayatra, Siddaramaiah said, "Let them do what they said they should not."

The chief minister attributed the clashes in Ballari to the removal of banners put up for the unveiling of a statue of Maharshi Valmiki, calling the action an unnecessary provocation. "Removing the banner instigated the incident," he said, asking why the banners needed to be taken down in the first place. He accused former ministers G Janardhana Reddy and B Sriramulu of act...