Congress to Hold Satyagraha in Udupi on September 12 Against Alleged Purification of Venue Where Mallikarjun Kharge Spoke
Udupi: The Congress party will stage a satyagraha in Udupi on September 12, condemning the alleged purification of the venue where Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge delivered a speech, KPCC Campaign Committee President Vinay Kumar Sorake and Udupi District Congress Campaign Committee President Alevoor Harish Kini said.
Speaking at a press conference at the Congress Bhavan in Udupi, Vinay Kumar Sorake expressed outrage over the alleged act by BJP workers to purify the place where Kharge addressed a gathering. He said the act was an attempt to take the country back to the 18th century.
He said the act, allegedly carried out to insult a national leader, amounted to an insult to the country’s 140 crore people. It was also an insult to the Constitution given to the nation by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, he said. The Congress strongly condemned what it described as attempts to recreate untouchability and inequality in society, he added.
Sorake also alleged that Congress leaders were being targeted, referring to the filing of an FIR against Rahul Gandhi. Taking a dig at the Union government, he sarcastically remarked that protecting a “thief” had become an achievement of the Modi government.
He said protests were being held across the country condemning the incident and that, as part of the continuing agitation, a silent march would be held across Karnataka on September 12.
Speaking on the issue, Alevoor Harish Kini criticised BJP workers, alleging that their act of cleaning the place where Mallikarjun Kharge delivered his speech reflected a “Manuvadi” mindset.
“First, they should clean the Manuvadi dirt in their own minds,” he said.
Kini also alleged that atrocities against Dalits had increased under BJP rule, with more than 50,000 cases being registered every year. He expressed concern over the alleged rise in atrocities against Dalits in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
He said a nationwide protest had been called to condemn the alleged insult to senior national leader Mallikarjun Kharge. In Udupi, a satyagraha will be held in front of the Gandhi statue at Ajjarkad at 10.30 a.m. on September 12.
“Protests have been organised in all 41 districts of Karnataka,” Kini said.
Udupi District Congress President Kishan Hegde Kolkebail, Campaign Committee leaders Dr. Subrahmanya Bhat, Prashanth Poojary, Rajesh Shetty, Dinakar Shetty, Dayananda and Chandrika Shetty, among others, were present at the press conference.