Belagavi: Satish Jarkiholi’s followers rally behind their leader

BELAGAVI: At a time when BJP workers are thronging the streets across the state condemning KPCC working president Satish Jarkiholi’s statement questioning the origin of the word ‘Hindu’, his followers in various parts of Belagavi taluk took to the street to support him.
His followers protested at Nipani, Athani, Gokak, Paschapur and Mudalagi towns, condemning attempts to defame the image of their leader.
They claimed there is evidence for what Satish Jarkiholi has said, but BJP is hatching a conspiracy against him by twisting his statement according to its convenience.
In Athani, members of Dalit Sangharsha Samiti protested by blocking the Jevargi-Sankeshwar highway. DSS member Siddharth Shinge said Manuvadis are facing embarrassment because the disclosure of truths by Satish Jarkiholi.
Hundreds of Congress workers in Paschapur town in Hukkeri held a protest supporting Satish. ZP member Manjunath Patil said the conspiracy against Satish Jarkiholi must stop immediately, if not Belagavi would be gheraoed on November 14.
Congress workers applied black ink on the pictures of Rajya Sabha member Iranna Kadadi and other BJP leaders.
In Nipani, activists of Manava Bandhutva Vedike and DSS took out a march from Sambhaji Circle to the tahsildar office, shouting: ‘We stand with Satish’. They submitted a memorandum to the tahasildar demanding inquiry against culprits who twisted Jarkiholi’s statement.
Dalit activists in Mudalagi, led by Kallappagouda Lakkar, district president of Kisan Congress, marched from Kalmeshwar Circle to the tahsildar office. Lakkar said, “Jarkiholi is spreading the thinking of Buddha, Basaveshwara and BR Ambedkar for 25 years.”