Removal of ambedkar photo: Karnataka CM promises action against judge after massive protests in Bengaluru
Bommai announced this after a meeting with thousands of protesters, who gathered at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday promised to take action against the principal district and sessions judge Justice Mallikarjuna Gowda, who allegedly removed a portrait of Dr BR Ambedkar from the dais during the Republic Day celebrations in Raichur last month.
Bommai announced this after a meeting with thousands of protesters, who gathered at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Saturday.
During the massive protest, leaders of Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) and other activists demanded the suspension of Gowda. Thousands of protesters, who assembled opposite the city railway, under the leadership of Samvidhana Samrakshana Maha Okkuta (SSMO), held the ‘Vidhana Soudha Chalo’ and ‘High Court Chalo’ march chanting slogans. Visuals of the protest showed a sea of people holding up the blue flags of the Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh.
Talking to the protesters, chief minister Bommai said that the issue has been brought to his attention. “Action will be initiated against this act. Leaders of the Dalit community have explained to me in detail about the incident of removal of the photograph of Dr BR Ambedkar. I will discuss this with the people concerned and write a letter soon,” he said.
“The insult that is meted out to Dr Ambedkar is condemnable. Under no circumstances should any act that insults the creator of our Constitution be tolerated. We are at the forefront of upholding the prestige and honour of Dr Ambedkar. We will provide justice as per Constitution,” Bommai added.
Earlier, during the protest, M Krishnamurthy, state president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) said, “It is condemnable that many who have won the elections in the name of Ambedkar are serving as slaves of Manuvada (Manusmriti). Many incidents have taken place in the past, also in which Dr BR Ambedkar was insulted openly. If action is not taken against Justice Mallikarjuna Gowda, fierce protest will be held.”
On Friday, Gowda was transferred as the presiding officer of the Karnataka State Transport Appellate Tribunal, Bengaluru.
Dalit Sangharsha Samithi leader and social activist Mavalli Shankar said that people address Mallikarjuna Gowda as ‘justice’, but he has a caste-based mindset. “The transfer is not punishment. We demand that he should be punished. Though the government has sent several circulars, he got the photograph of Ambedkar removed. Communities which are at the base of society should get representation in the judiciary,” said Shankar.
On January 26, during a republic day celebration, the image of Ambedkar, placed next to that of Mahatma Gandhi on a stage, was said to be removed on Gowda’s direction. He allegedly directed his subordinates to remove the photo before the tricolour was unfurled. This resulted in massive protests across the state.
Responding to the criticism, Judge Gowda had claimed that he did not mean any disrespect to Ambedkar. In a press statement, he said the portrait of Ambedkar was never removed and there was false propaganda against him. He said, “Some advocates approached me and demanded that Ambedkar’s portrait be placed next to that of Mahatma Gandhi as per government order. I told them that the High Court Registrar had informed us in our Leaders Group that the government order was before the full bench (of the High Court) and asked us to wait till the decision was made on the matter and requested them not to force me.”
Later on, on February 4, Karnataka High Court had decided to place the portrait of Ambedkar at all official functions of the HC, district and taluk courts of the state.