Dalit organisations give a call for bandh in Hubballi-Dharwad tomorrow

Dalit and progressive organisations call for a Hubballi-Dharwad bandh to protest against Amit Shah's remarks on B.R. Ambedkar.

Strongly condemning Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement against B.R. Ambedkar in Parliament and seeking Mr. Shah’s dismissal from the Union Cabinet, Dalit and progressive organisations have given a call for a Hubballi-Dharwad bandh on Thursday.

Addressing a joint press conference in Hubballi on Monday, office-bearers of various Dalit and progressive organisations Gurunath Ullikashi, M. Arvind, Shyam Jadhav, Maruti Doddamani, Doreraj Manikuntla, Premanath Chikkatumbala and others said that over 102 organisations and associations have extended support to the bandh to be observed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Mr. Ullikashi said that the Central Home Minister deliberately made the remark against Ambedkar who fought for the rights of the exploited and suppressed communities. And to condemn his statement and register a protest, the bandh call has been given, he said.

Mr. Arvind, Mr. Jadhav and others said that in the preliminary meetings in Hubballi on January 4 and in Dharwad on January 5, office-bearers of various associations and organisations actively participated and extended their support for the bandh call.

The organisations have decided that on Thursday, protest marches will be taken out from various localities to culminate at Kittur Chennamma Circle in Hubballi and at Jubilee Circle in Dharwad.

They also made it clear that the protest is apolitical and is against those who support the ideology of Manu. As part of the bandh, protest meetings will also be held at various circles in Hubballi-Dharwad.

“The protest is for protecting the Constitution which was framed to safeguard the interest of all the communities in the country and to put an end to frequent attempts to disgrace the architect of the Constitution,” they said.