Bhatkal: Protests broke out across various cities in Karnataka, including Udupi, Kalaburagi, Bidar, and Gadag, following controversial remarks made by Home Minister Amit Shah regarding Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Karnataka Legislative Council Member C.T. Ravi’s derogatory comments about Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar. The protests condemned the offensive statements and demanded immediate action against the leaders involved.
The remarks made by Amit Shah about Dr. Ambedkar, who played a pivotal role in drafting the Indian Constitution and securing fundamental rights for citizens, were met with strong condemnation. Various organizations in Kalaburagi, Bidar, and Gadag urged people to observe a voluntary bandh in protest. In response, traders closed their shops, and businesses in support of the cause. In Kalaburagi, during a protest march, a symbolic funeral procession was held with the picture of Amit Shah, and his effigy was set on fire. Protesters demanded that the President of India intervene and dismiss Amit Shah from his position as Home Minister, suggesting that a case of treason should be filed against him, leading to his expulsion from the country.
The protesters raised slogans in support of Ambedkar and called for the resignation of Amit Shah, accusing him of adhering to caste-based, discriminatory, and Manusmriti-driven ideologies. A memorandum was also submitted to the district Deputy Commissioner, highlighting the need for immediate action.
In the twin cities of Gadag and Betgeri, the bandh called by various organizations was also successful, with roadblock protests in some areas, disrupting traffic. The bandh received support from Congress district committees, Lingayat progressive groups, Kannada organizations, and merchants' associations, all of whom rallied for Shah’s resignation.
In Udupi, Dalit organizations and the Janwadi Mahila Sanghatan District Committee held a protest in front of the Udupi Deputy Commissioner’s office, condemning Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar and the disrespect shown to Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar by MLC C.T. Ravi during the Karnataka Assembly session.
Narayana Manwar, addressing the protesters, described Amit Shah’s behavior as a result of a poisonous, casteist ideology and warned that any attacks on Ambedkar’s legacy would come at a heavy price for Shah and his family. He emphasized that this protest was not the end and that the public would give a strong response to such statements.
The protesters also warned against politicians with nationalistic and caste-based ideologies, accusing them of gradually eroding the Constitution and undermining democracy to pave the way for a dictatorship. To express their anger, a copy of Manusmriti was burned during the protests.
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