The real story is that the Dalit mobilisation at Bhima Koregaon shook the BJP-led govt. The arrests are their clampdown.
This is a black day in our democracy.
The arrest of civil rights activist Anand Teltumbde at 3:30 am Saturday by the Pune Police is nothing but unconstitutional. It shows the desperation of the police.
The timing is also strategic. The nation had turned away towards Modi government’s interim budget and social media had forgotten about the plight of the activists arrested for the Bhima Koregaon incident.
The team led by Inspector Indulkar overlooked the orders of India’s top court and took Teltumbde into custody at the Mumbai airport. This is a complete disregard for the 11 January Supreme Court order that had granted him the relief of four weeks.
Also read: A year after Bhima-Koregaon clashes, here’s why the Maharashtra village erupted
Anand Teltumbde is an anti-caste scholar of national and international repute. He studied at IIM and IIT, was the executive director of Bharat Petroleum and is an expert on caste matters. Even while working for corporates, Teltumbde has written several research papers, books, received awards and given back to society by fighting against caste-based discrimination and human rights violations. If there was any column that was popular on Economic and Political Weekly, it was Anand Teltumbde’s.
He is one of the most genuine people I have met. Calling such a man an ‘urban Maoist’ is nothing but a plot by the BJP and the RSS.
As a lawyer, I can say that this calls for an investigation into the actions of the police and a case of offence against them. The SC/ST (Atrocities) Act does have a provision for false and frivolous cases filed against Dalits and adivasis by non-Dalits, non-adivasis.
For years now, those who have gone against the ideological view of the government have been threatened and been made to languish in jail.
We have seen this in Gujarat as well. First, false stories are spread. Such as, there is a threat to Narendra Modi’s life. Second, it is hyped through, say, the media. It creates an atmosphere of hate against dissenters and an atmosphere of sympathy for politicians like Modi. Third, people are arrested.
Anand Teltumbde’s arrest stems from this.
Also read: Police leaks led to trial by media in Bhima-Koregaon case: Quotes from dissenting judge
Snatching computers from people’s homes and claiming they have suspicious letters is in itself suspicious. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) is a draconian law used to suppress voices.
Had Babasaheb Ambedkar been alive today, he would have really appreciated Teltumbde and his work. Ambedkar would have been proud of him. He’s that brilliant.
Now, the Dalit movement will make this a major agenda ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Not just Anand Teltumbde, we will fight for all those scholars and activists arrested after Bhima Koregaon. We will fight the fabricated narratives being peddled. There will be nation-wide protests to free those arrested and repeal UAPA.
These cases were so false that even I was named in it, and I have never even been to Bhima Koregaon!
I challenge the courts to listen to my speeches about Bhima Koregaon, if there is anything provocative, I will quit public life.
The real story is that the mobilisation at Bhima Koregaon shook the BJP-led government. This is their clamp down.
Ambedkar had said once: What is anti-national is caste. What new India needs is the annihilation of caste. And Anand Teltumbde was doing just that.
Also read: Pune Police arrests activist Anand Teltumbde at Mumbai airport
As told to ThePrint.
Jignesh Mevani is an independent MLA in the Gujarat assembly and convener of the Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch.