The controversy surrounding the proposed RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) route march in Chittapur escalated dramatically. A peace meeting, convened by the Kalaburagi district administration as directed by the Karnataka High Court, dissolved into bitter disagreement. The core issue: the RSS delegation flatly rejected demands from other groups to forego their traditional wooden staffs (lathis) during the centenary march and instead carry national flags and copies of the Constitution’s Preamble.
Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum chaired the tense gathering, which saw representatives from ten organizations present. These included the RSS, Bhim Army, Bharatiya Dalit Panthers, Gonda Kuruba ST Horata Samithi, Karnataka Rajya Chalavadi Kshemabhivruddi Sangha, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, and Hasiru Sene, among others.
Dialogue on Separate Days Fails
When Ms. Taranum inquired if organizations would consider holding their marches on separate dates to avert confrontation, several groups, led by the Karnataka Rajya Chalavadi Kshemabhivruddi Sangha, voiced strong opposition to allowing the RSS march at all, arguing that the RSS was not a registered organization.
The atmosphere intensified when CPI(M) district secretary K. Neela, Bharatiya Dalit Panthers leader Mallappa Hosamani, and scholar Prof. R.K. Hudgi jointly proposed that the RSS be allowed to hold its route march only if its volunteers committed to carrying the Indian national flag and copies of the Constitution’s Preamble.
Ambaraya Ashtagi, State vice-president of the BJP’s Scheduled Caste Morcha and a key member of the RSS delegation, vehemently opposed this suggestion. He reportedly asserted that the RSS would not submit to “others’ dictates” on how to conduct its events, emphasizing their long-standing traditions and discipline. This triggered a heated debate.
Other attendees, including prominent Dalit leaders like S.S. Tawde, Rajendra Kapanur, Dinesh Doddamani, and Lachhappa Jamadar, countered that parading with lathis in a communally sensitive area like Chittapur could ignite unrest and contradicted the very essence of a constitutional democracy. The argument quickly escalated, leading to the abrupt and inconclusive end of the meeting.
Outside the venue, a substantial crowd of supporters from various Dalit, Left, and progressive organizations had gathered. As the meeting concluded around 1 p.m., protesters chanted slogans against the RSS and what they termed its “divisive politics.” Police were forced to escort the RSS representatives safely away from the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
A senior police officer confirmed that safe passage was provided to the RSS delegation as a precautionary measure due to the large crowd. Furthermore, police personnel have been stationed outside Mr. Ashtagi’s residence.
Threat of Counter-Marches
Emerging from the meeting, Bhim Army State president S.S. Tawde announced to reporters that if the RSS remained unyielding in its refusal to replace lathis with the national flag and the Constitution Preamble, his organization, along with other like-minded groups, would stage their own route march on the very same day. “We will demonstrate our unwavering commitment to the Constitution,” he declared.
Dinesh Doddamani, District General Secretary of the Karnataka Rajya Chalavadi Kshemabhivruddi Sangha, accused the RSS of attempting to create divisions among Dalit leaders. He alleged that Ambaraya Ashtagi, a Dalit and BJP leader, was strategically put forward to oppose the majority of Dalit organizations in the meeting, effectively being used as a “shield.”
Mr. Ashtagi retorted, stating his full support for the national flag, noting the BJP’s ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, he emphasized that the RSS requires no lessons in patriotism from anyone and would adhere to court directives, not the demands of other organizations.
The dispute initially arose when Chittapur Tahsildar Nagayya Hiremath denied the RSS permission on October 19 to conduct its route march, citing potential law and order disturbances. This decision followed requests from multiple organizations to hold marches along the same route and on the same date.
Subsequently, Ashok Patil, the RSS leader in Chittapur, challenged this denial by filing a writ petition with the Kalaburagi Bench of the Karnataka High Court. On October 24, Justice M.G.S. Kamal instructed the district administration to facilitate a peace meeting among all involved organizations to reach a consensus, with a report due back to the court by the next hearing on October 30.