DH News Service
DAVANGERE, June 25

In an attempt to protest against the desecration to the statue of Dr Ambedkar in Janekal near Manvi in Raichur district, the Karnataka Dalit Sagharsh Samiti District Convenor H Mallesh has announced a torch - procession in the city on June 28.

In a press conference held here on Sunday, Mr Mallesh said that desecration of statues of Dr Ambedkar has existed for a long time now, and that such an insult was symbolically an insult to the Dalit community as a whole.

He called for the suspension of the deputy commissioner of Raichur district after failures to check such acts. He expressed that perhaps envious of the progress being made by the Dalits, certain groups have set out to provoke the community.

Surprised at the fact that only statues of Dr Ambedkar were being targetted in this way, Mr Mallesh said that investigation should be carried out to find the culprits behind it. Once arrested, they must be banished, he added.

He felt that it was the duty of the government to protect Ambedkar statues all over the state.

The torch procession has been scheduled for 7:00 pm on June 28, starting at Ambedkar Road and ending at the deputy commissioner’s office. The convenor of the Sangharsh Samiti has urged the deputy commissioner to personally accept the appeal from the protesters.

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jun26/s12.htm

Idol desecration at Janekal: Four held

DH News Service

RAICHUR, June 25

Police have arrested four persons in connection with the desecration of Dr Ambedkar’s statue at Janekal village recently.

Tension prevailed in the village because of the arrests. The arrested are Rajshekhar Patel, Dalapati Basavaraj, Shiva ppa Patel and Narayan.

They were held after a complaint filed by Dalit leaders. On Friday night, Dalit leaders held a rasta roko and the situation went out of hand when they complained to the police about two other Dalit leaders. Though the police and the deputy commissioner conducted a peace meet, the situation has not improved.Villagers complain that the arrested are innocent and there is a conspiracy behind their arrest. Though the village is peaceful, people are anxious that riots may break out again. The arrested were produced before the court and have been released on bail.