Karnataka CM calls Dalits 'useless people'
Aravinda Gowda
Davanagere (Karnataka), August 3, 2010
Chief minister B. S. Yeddyurappa landed himself in trouble on Monday
after he allegedly insulted Dalits and the state police while
addressing a BJP rally in Davanagere, a central town in Karnataka.
According to the Dalit Sangharsh Samithi (DSS), the CM termed its
activists as "Congress agents" and "useless people" when they tried to
approach him at the rally for fulfilment of their demands.
The CM also reportedly called the police "donkey grazers" for not
controlling the protesting Dalits.
Enraged by Yeddyurappa's sudden outburst, the Dalits planned to lodge
an FIR. But the police convinced them not to complain against the CM.
DSS activist K. Sannappanavar said the organisation would now launch a
state-wide agitation in protest.
The drama unfolded soon after the rally started. The DSS activists
stormed the venue demanding an end to manual scavenging, which is
widely prevalent in central Karnataka.
The issue had come into prominence after the Dalits highlighted the
evil practice by immersing themselves in human waste two weeks ago in
Savanur. Since then, they had been trying to meet the CM in vain.
At the rally, the activists raised slogans against the CM and the BJP
government for neglecting their problems. Their commotion attracted
the attention of Yeddyurappa, who snatched the microphone on the dais
and started hurling abuses.
He said: "Meet me personally if you have problems. Why are you
disturbing my party's rally? Your problem is no greater than that of
the two lakh people who have gathered here to listen to me. Your
problem is more than 60 years old. I cannot solve it in 25 days."
The CM's statement further enraged the protesting Dalits, who started
shouting slogans again.
Yeddyurappa, who is under considerable pressure because of internal
bickering in the state BJP, then lost his cool and shouted at the
protesters: "I know you are here to create trouble. You are not
genuine people… You are useless people. All of you are Congress
agents. Get lost. Go away from here in five minutes. "He also shouted
at reporters for listening to the Dalits. "Get away from there. You
should not be standing near them. All this is happening because of you
(media)…" he added.
The CM next called the senior police officers to the dais and abused
them. "You are useless. Are you here to graze donkeys or provide
security at the rally? I want the protesters out of the venue," he
shouted.
Subsequently, the police evicted the Dalits. The rally also brought to
the fore the widening gap between Yeddyurappa and the Bellary Reddy
brothers, who did not turn up at the event.
They instead organised a public meeting in Bellary to condemn the
Congress leaders' rally seeking a CBI inquiry into illegal mining.
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