Gupta had his shoes on at ceremony to honour freedom fighter
BENGALURU:
BBMP Administrator and Karnataka Industries Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta has reportedly insulted the sentiments of Dalit organisations by not removing his footwear while attending a ceremony to honour freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna.
Gupta was seen wearing shoes while posing for a photograph in front of Sangolli Rayanna’s statue opposite the City Railway Station.
Gupta was photographed alongside BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad, programme organiser Sangoli Krishnamurthy, Venkatesh and BBMP Employees’ Union president Amruth Raj, all of them were seen without shoes while paying tribute to Rayanna. The freedom fighter was hanged from a banyan tree by the British on January 26, 1831.
Dalits seek apology
Meanwhile, Karnataka State Dalit Sangarsh Samiti president CS Raghu has sought a public apology from Gaurav Gupta for ‘insulting’ the freedom fighter.
Raghu has written a letter to Gupta calling for his apology, while Samiti leaders have also registered their protest over the incident with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
TheBengaluruLive attempted to get a reaction from Gupta but he did not respond to our calls.