Pro-Dalit organisations took out a protest rally in Hassan on Thursday condemning the recent incidents of atrocities on Dalits in the district. Hundreds of people took out a march from the Hemavathi Statue Circle to B.M. Road, where they held a protest meeting.
Along the march, the protesters carried blue flags and raised slogans praising B.R. Ambedkar.
Recently, a Dalit was assaulted allegedly by Bajrang Dal activists in Sakaleshpur, accusing him of taking cattle for slaughtering. The organisations had staged a protest demanding action against the Bajrang Dal activists. In another incident at Arkalgud, a Dalit were assaulted by ‘upper caste” people.
The Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, Madiga Dandora Horata Samiti, Dalit Hakkugala Samiti, and the Left parties had convened the protest march condemning the recent incidents.
Addressing a public meeting organised as part of the protest, senior journalist Dinesh Amin Mattu said there had been efforts to weaken the constitution by amendments. The Union government introduced reservations for the economically weaker sections, though there had been no protests demanding it. “The constitution does not recommend reservation based on the economic criteria. However, the government brought in an amendment to offer benefits to the ‘upper castes’. If the Dalits, other backward classes, and minorities remained silent, there would be many more such amendments”, he said.
Referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s “80% vs 20%” statement, Mr. Amin Mattu said the actual fight had been between the Dalits, OBCs and minorities, who form the 90% of the population and that 10% of people, who were against to the constitution. “The majority of the population should fight against the communal forces by following Ambedkar’s call to educate, organise and agitate,” he said.
M. Somashekhar of Dalit Sangharsha Samiti alleged that a few police officers had been acting as Bajrang Dal activists. If they wanted to work as activists of a party, they should give up the post and engage in party activities. He also said that the pro-people organisations would continue to fight communal forces in the district.
DSS leaders K.T. Shivaprasad, Rajashekhar, H.K. Sandesh, S.N. Mallappa, Narayanadas, Eerappa, CPM district secretary Dharmesh, and others were present.
