As 100 Dalit groups observe bandh in Hubballi-Dharwad against Shah’s Ambedkar remark, BJP says Congress creating ‘atmosphere of fear’

During the winter session of Parliament that concluded last month, Shah said in the Rajya Sabha, “Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai – Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken God’s name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven).”

Select checkpoints were created in Hubballi and Dharwad and traffic police were deployed in view of the shutdown. Many pharmacies were among the businesses that remained shut in Dharwad. Petrol bunks were also closed in the city. It was only after 1 pm that a few fuel stations opened.

A similar shutdown was observed in Kalaburagi, where Dalit organisations took to the streets to protest against Shah’s statement.

BRTS route barricaded where a cop stands guard at Toll Naka in Dharwad (Express Photo)

Thursday’s shutdown was called by several Dalit outfits under the SC/ST, Backward Classes, Minorities Unity Forum.

However, Dharwad BJP MLA Arvind Bellad called it a “state-sponsored bandh” and accused the ruling Congress of creating an atmosphere of fear through the shutdown.

“The Congress government ordered the authorities and BEOs to shut all schools and colleges. Congress workers were seen recceing the city asking businesses to close their shops. The Congress is trying to build a narrative by cutting the 29-second clip from the video in which Amit Shah made the statement,” he told indianexpres.com. “They are the sole reason for the sufferings of Ambedkar.”

Hubballi Congress MLA Prasad Abbayya said that close to 120 Dalit organisations came together to protest against Shah’s statement. “His statement is demeaning to the creator of the Indian Constitution, and he is answerable for the same. He must resign and apologise for the remarks he has made. The bandh was successful and peaceful,” he told indianexpres.com.

A representative of a Dalit outfit said, “Who is Amit Shah to make such defaming comments on the maker of our Constitution? He is able to speak in Parliament today only because Ambedkar drafted the Constitution. Leaders like Shah do not deserve to be in Parliament.”

Another representative of a Dalit outfit said Dalits must get the recognition that Ambedkar had asked for. “There must be different constituencies for Dalits, and their MLAs and MPs must also be different. Such changes will help transform the atmosphere created against the community by those like Shah,” the representative said.