Bangalore:
The Republic Day (Jan. 26) was observed as Black Day by thousands of Dalits, Muslims and others in Bangalore under the leadership of Maisaheb Ambedkar.
She attended the R. Day ceremony at the Siddhartha Nagar, a Tamil-speaking slum, the biggest in Bangalore, and after walking through the dirty by-lanes she addressed a public meeting wherein she waved the black flag and gave a call to Dalits, minorities and OBCs that the R. Day and “Independence” day should always be observed as Black Day as over 80% population of India is yet to attain freedom from the bondage of Aryan invaders. R. Elumali, Dalit Cultural Front convener from Madras, presided. Thousands of Dalits and Muslims, other oppressed sections who gathered cheered her lustily as she held a Black Flag and waved it before the huge audience. She was garlanded by burqa-clad Muslim women. D. M. Thimmarayappa, convener of the Karnataka Dalit Action Committee, A. Narayanaswmy, Dalit leader from Bharat Electronics, also spoke on the significance of observing R. Day as Black Day and waved Black Flags. Later Veeramani, general secretary of the Dravida Kazagam, who came from Madras met Maisaheb, extended full support, and invited her to TN. Elumalai also had a separate meeting with her. She urged him to organise the Dalits of TN to come under the banner of Dalit Panthers. On Jan. 25, she visited Kolar Gold Fields and had a tremendous welcome. The public meeting that she addressed went late into the night. She visited Ambedkar Medical and Eng. Colleges here.
