Woman beaten for waving black flag at Sonia

The incident occurred during the 105th birthday celebration of the head of Siddaganga Math Shivakumara Swami.

As soon as Gandhi started her speech at the function the woman, seated among the audience, suddenly got up and showed a black flag to her demanding Scheduled Caste status for her community Madiga Dandora.

She was then thrashed by the cops and taken away from the venue even as her supporters shouted slogans.

However, the Congress chief preferred to stay mum on the incident.

Sonia is in Karnataka on a two-day visit in a bid to woo the Lingayats, which is the single largest caste in the state and account for about 18 percent of the vote.

Siddaganga Math Shivakumara Swami is the most influential guru among the Lingayats and has a vast following.

The community had distanced itself from the Congress after the party removed paralysed Veerendra Pati as the chief minister in 1989.

The community ever since supports BJP and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa has emerged their undisputed leader in recent years.