Members of the Karnataka Rajya Valmiki Samaj Samiti have initiated protests across Belagavi and other districts of Karnataka, condemning former MP Ramesh Katti for alleged abusive statements directed at their community. The uproar began on October 19 after the BJP leader reportedly made offensive remarks to his supporters during elections for the Belagavi district central cooperative bank.
The initial complaint was lodged in Belagavi on October 19 by community leader Rajshekar Talwar at the Camp police station. Talwar demanded action against Ramesh Katti under relevant sections of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and the Prevention of Atrocities against SC/ST Communities Act, providing a video clip featuring the former BJP MP as evidence.
According to the complaint, Katti used obscene language against the entire Valmiki community while criticizing the Jarkiholi brothers during a conversation with his supporters post-polling. This video clip rapidly circulated on social media, intensifying the public outcry. Talwar revealed that Valmiki community leaders have since filed over two dozen similar cases against Katti across various districts.
Mallikarjun Batagi, president of the Vijayapura district unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Valmiki Samaj Seva Samiti, has publicly called for Ramesh Katti’s immediate arrest.
Subsequently, on October 20 and 21, members of the Maharishi Valmiki Nayaka Samaj organized protests in multiple locations including Gokak, Belagavi, Hukkeri, Ramdurg, Bailhongal, Vijayapura, and Kalaburagi, all demanding Katti’s swift detention. In Belagavi, protestors converged at Rani Channamma Circle on October 21, where they expressed their anger, with some even burning Katti’s portraits and adorning his images with garlands of slippers.
In response to the ongoing controversy and the perceived lack of action, protestors have announced a statewide Karnataka bundh (strike) scheduled for October 24.