Condemning the removal of a Ambedkar portrait from the dais during the 73rd Republic Day celebrations on the premises of the Raichur District Court here on Wednesday last and demanding legal action against the Principal District and Sessions Judge, activists from different Dalit and progressive organisations took out a rally and staged a protest in Kalaburagi on Monday.
Hundreds of activists participated in the protest march waving blue flags, carrying Ambedkar portraits and placards containing the Preamble of the Constitution and raising slogans against Principal District and Sessions Judge Mallikarjun Gouda, whom they held responsible for the incident.
The rally that began at Nagareshwara School in Gunj area passed through Jagat Circle and Annapurneshwari Cross to reach SVP Circle. The protesters then assembled at the district administrative complex where they staged a demonstration.
“The removal of the Ambedkar portrait from the dais before the national flag was hoisted during the Republic Day celebration at the Raichur District Court was a deliberate act orchestrated by Mr. Gouda. The Governor and the Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka should intervene in the issue and take suitable legal action against the judge to keep judicial sanctity intact,” Vittal Doddamani, a senior Dalit leader, said, during the agitation outside the district administrative complex.
Drawing attention to what he termed as a violation of a State Government order, Malleshi Sajjan, a senior lawyer, said that the Kalaburagi district administration did not keep portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar during the Republic Day celebration in Kalaburagi, in which district in-charge Minister Murugesh Nirani participated and hoisted the national flag.
“When some people questioned why the portraits of Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi were not placed during the celebration, Mr. Nirani escaped with an evasive response. The government should take action against the Deputy Commissioner and Mr. Nirani,” he said, demanding that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai drop Mr. Nirani from his Council of Ministers for his negligence.
The agitating activists later submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Governor, to the office of the Regional Commissioner (Kalaburagi Division).
Suresh Hadimani, A.B. Hosamani, Arjun Bhadre, Ravi Chauhan, Prakash Mulabharati, Parameshwar Khanapur, Mareppa Halli, Hanamanth Yalasangi, Arjun Gobbur, Vishal Navarang, Sachin Tirabal, Santosh Mulimani, Mahadev Walakeri, Dasharath Kalagurthi, Ashwini Mandankar, Sunil Manpade and other leaders representing different organisations were present.
