Protest march taken out in Hubballi against honour killing

Condemning the honour killing in which a pregnant woman, Manya Doddamani, was murdered by her family, and demanding the establishment of a fast-track court to punish the guilty at the earliest, members of various Dalit organisations took out a protest march and organised a public meeting in Hubballi on Monday.

Wearing black armbands, the protestors marched from Siddharoodha Mutt premises in Old Hubballi to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s statue located in front of the General Post Office where they organised a public protest meeting to condemn in strong terms the barbaric act of killing a pregnant woman for marrying outside her caste.

Seers of various mutts, including Sri Shadakshara Swami of Adijambav Mutt, Hiriyur, Sri Marulasiddheshwar Swami of Koppal, Sri Basavanand Swami of Rudrakshi Mutt, Hubballi, took part in the protest meeting condemning the incident and said that discriminating against people on the basis of caste is inhuman.

Emphasising the need for living harmoniously by following the teachings of 12th century reformer Basavanna and other Sharanas, the seers said that there is a need for extensive programmes to sensitise the people and bring about a social transformation.

Requisite legal relief and protection to inter-caste couple should be provided through promulgation of new laws, they stressed.

A host of leaders from Dalit organisations, including the former MLA Virabhadrappa Halaharavi, Vijay M. Guntral, Basappa Madar, Gangadhar Perur, Bhimu Halagi and Mohan Hiremani, and a host of others took part in the protest march and meeting.

The speakers demanded that speedy justice should be ensured to the victims by setting up a special court and awarding death penalty to the accused people.

They also demanded that a government job be given to Vivekanand Doddamani and 10 acres of land for the Doddamani family, treating it as a special case.

A memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister was submitted to the taluk officials who came to the protest venue.