Protests at Kalaburagi, Gadag against Amit Shah’s remarks

Kalaburagi and Gadag in North Karnataka came to a standstill on Tuesday as people protested against Union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar

Kalaburagi and Gadag in North Karnataka came to a standstill on Tuesday as people protested against Union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar,father of Indian Constitution. The bandh was spearheaded by Dalit organisations, progressive groups and political parties.

Protests against Union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar in Kalaburagi on Tuesday. (HT photo)

“By speaking against BR Ambedkar, the Union minister has insulted the entire Indian populace. He should immediately apologise to the entire country and resign,” Kalanuragi south Congress MLA of Allama Prabhu Patil, one of the leaders who participated in the protest, said.

People familiar with the matter said that the activists and members of the Constitution Protection Committee staging a mock funeral procession from Nagarshwara School to Gadag deputy commissioner’s office.

The bandh, called by the Dalit Committee Alliance, was supported by over 50 organisations, including the district Congress committee. Congress leaders such as district party president and Rona MLA GS Patil, along with former MLA DR Patil, joined the protests.

Reacting to the agitation, Kalaburagi district BJP president Chandra Kantha Patil dismissed the bandh as a politically motivated move by the Congress. “Amit Shah holds immense respect for Ambedkar and has never disrespected him. These protests are an attempt by Congress to stir political unrest,” he said.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) general secretary Manjunath Bhandary accused Shah of being “anti-Dalit.” He said, “Amit Shah must apologise and step down immediately. His comments clearly show his disregard for Dalits. The BJP’s anti-Dalit stance has once again been exposed.”