Congress takes out protest rally demanding ouster of Home Minister Amit Shah

Congress supporters at a protest rally against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Mysuru on Monday.
| Photo Credit: M. A. Sriram

Congress supporters at a rally against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Mysuru on Monday.
| Photo Credit:
M. A. Sriram

The Congress party took out a protest rally in Mysuru on Monday demanding the ouster of Home Minister Amit Shah from the Union Cabinet for allegedly insulting the founding father of the Indian Constitution Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.

A large number of party workers and supporters gathered at Kurubarahalli Circle and began their march towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office, shouting slogans at the Home Minister and the BJP.

The rally was led by Minister for Social Welfare H. C. Mahadevappa, who is also the Minister in charge of Mysuru district.

Speaking to reporters on the occasion, Mr. Mahadevappa said, “Mr Shah’s remarks in the Rajya Sabha were proof of the RSS and BJP’s absence of respect and faith in the Constitution. He said the BJP was always against the Constitution and Mr. Shah’s remarks had exposed the BJP’s “hidden agenda” to distort the Constitution.”

He said the BJP, which was “anti-Constitution”, was against equality, harmony, and protection of diversity. He accused the BJP of conspiring to establish a “Manuvada” administration in the country.

Protestors even stamped upon posters bearing pictures of Mr. Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Minister for Animal Husbandry and Sericulture K. Venkatesh, MLA and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working President Tanveer Sait, and MLAs Harish Gowda, D. Ravishankar, MLCs Yathindra Siddaramaiah and D. Thimmaiah were also part of the protest.

Meanwhile, the protestors reached the Deputy Commissioner’s office and submitted a memorandum addressed to President Droupadi Murmu through the Deputy Commissioner seeking not only the removal of Mr. Shah from the Union Ministry but also his arrest.

The memorandum submitted by the Mysuru District Congress Committee has also sought an impartial inquiry into the matter by a sitting Supreme Court judge.

Demanding an apology from Mr. Shah, the memorandum alleged that the BJP government had been insulting the Dalits and other deprived and exploited classes. “The Home Minister’s remarks show that he, along with the BJP and the RSS leaders, has a lot of hatred for Dr. Ambedkar and Dalits in particular”, the memorandum stated.