This image is of a rally in protest of a Judge who removed Ambedkar’s portrait in the Republic Day program - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 25, 2022
A photo through a post is being widely shared on social media claiming that a massive rally had been organised by Dalit organisations in Bangalore, to support the Hijab cause. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo of Dalit organisations’ Muslim solidarity rally in Bangalore for the Hijab cause.
Fact: The photo is from a protest rally in Bangalore by Dalit organisations against a Judge who allegedly asked Ambedkar’s portrait to be removed in the Republic Day program. In Raichur district, on 26 January 2022, the portrait of Ambedkar which was placed next to the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi was allegedly said to be removed by the principal district and sessions judge Justice Mallikarjuna Gowda. The Judge was later transferred. Accepting the demands of Dalit organisations, Karnataka High Court resolved through a circular to keep Ambedkar’s portrait in all official functions of the courts. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When reverse image search is done on the photo, the same photo was found in a couple of YouTube videos. Those videos can be seen here and here. According to the videos, Dalit organisations have protested against a Judge who allegedly directed Ambedkar’s portrait to be removed in the Republic Day program.
During the Republic Day celebrations in Raichur, the principal district and sessions judge Justice Mallikarjuna Gowda allegedly asked his staff to remove a portrait of Ambedkar. According to the news reports published about the incident, the photo shows people holding blue flags of ‘Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh’ in protest against the Judge’s actions. Massive protests were held, and many gathered at the Freedom Park, and opposite the city railway station in Bangalore.
In Raichur district, on 26 January 2022, the portrait of Ambedkar which was placed next to the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi was allegedly said to be removed on Justice Mallikarjuna Gowda’s direction. “He allegedly directed his subordinates to remove the photo before the tricolour was unfurled.” The Judge claimed that the portrait of Ambedkar was not removed and that there was false propaganda against him. He was transferred to the Karnataka State Transport Appellate Tribunal in Bangalore recently. Accepting the demands of Dalit organisations, Karnataka High Court resolved through a circular to keep Ambedkar’s portrait in all official functions of the courts.
To sum it up, this photo is from a protest rally in Bangalore by Dalit organisations against a Judge who asked Ambedkar’s portrait to be removed in the Republic Day program.