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HomePoliticsAmid Maratha tensions, Dalit protests explode in the face of Fadnavis govt

Amid Maratha tensions, Dalit protests explode in the face of Fadnavis govt

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Amid protests by Dalits, BJP govt is also staring at 10 Feb deadline by Marathas to meet their demands for reservations and scrapping of the Atrocities Act.

Mumbai: Dalit organisations have called for a Maharashtra bandh Wednesday as the BJP-led state government has attracted widespread criticism for what is being seen as its failure to prevent the Bhima-Koregaon violence, allegedly fuelled by Right-wing groups.

One youth died and several were injured when stones were pelted and vehicles set ablaze in villages around Koregaon Bhima in Pune district, where Dalits from across the country were making their way for the bicentenary celebrations of the 1818 Bhima Koregaon battle Monday.

According to legend, 500 soldiers from the Mahar community fought for the British East India Company and overthrew a much stronger contingent of the (Brahmin) Peshwas during the battle. The annual celebration this year was larger than usual as it was to commemorate 200 years, and a few Right-wing groups had raised objections to it in the run-up to the event.

“When we tried to call the local superintendent of police, his phone was out of coverage area. There was no responsible person to coordinate at his office,” said Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, who along with a few organisations called for a Maharashtra bandh Wednesday to protest against the government’s “inaction”.

“When we called the chief minister’s office around 2 pm, they did not know anything about the violence. Minister of State Ranjit Patil’s office too did not have any information,” he added.

Prakash, president of the Bharatiya Republican Party Bahujan Mahasangh, blamed two Right-wing groups, Shivraj Pratishthan and Hindu Ekta Aghadi, both comprising upper caste Maratha and Brahmin members, for the violence.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Tuesday attempted damage control, announcing a judicial probe into the incident and a Criminal Investigation Department inquiry into the death of 28-year-old Rahul Phatangale.

“There was a deliberate attempt to create a riot-like situation but it is only because of the vigilance of the police that the conflict did not escalate. Six companies of police were deputed, of which four were strategically placed,” Fadnavis said.

“Some people are trying to create tension between two communities, but people should be vigilant and see to it that this does not happen. For anyone spreading misinformation, the police will take action without seeing anyone’s caste or religion,” he added.

Dalit leaders allege violence against their community has increased under the BJP-led government.

“The fact is that like unrest between Hindus and Muslims, ever since the BJP came to power clashes within Hindu communities have increased. It is clear that the scheduled castes are being targeted and on the face of it, it is the Marathas who are the oppressors,” said Keval Uke, general secretary of the National Dalit Movement for Justice.

“There are many incidents to support this. There are places in some districts where we cannot celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti on 14 April. The CM’s assurances of a judicial inquiry are not enough,” Uke added.

Prakash Ambedkar, however, said the Bhima Koregaon clash was not a Dalit versus Maratha issue and one that was solely orchestrated by the two right-wing groups led by Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote.

Mumbai-based political analyst Prakash Bal said the CM is in damage-control mode as he realises that electorally, the situation can create a problem for his party.

“Although ideologically the BJP has never stood for Dalits, he realises that left ignored this can electorally backfire. But both organisations singled out are indirectly affiliated to the RSS though they will never admit it,” Bal said.

The incident further widened the rift between the Marathas and Dalits, comprising 33 per cent and 11 per cent of the state’s population, respectively, that were already at odds after a wave of protests by Marathas in 2016 and 2017.

The Maratha protests were primarily for reservations in education and government jobs, and scrapping of the Prevention of Atrocities Act, which they said the Dalits were misusing against them, and created a major challenge for the Devendra Fadnavis-led government to tackle.

Amid the Dalit protests after the Bhima-Koregaon incident, the Fadnavis government is also burdened with a 10 February deadline that the Maratha community has set for it to meet all its demands, failing which leaders have threatened to resume their protests.

The Bhima-Koregaon violence took place just a few days after a fierce dispute between Marathas and Dalits at the nearby Vadhu Budruk village over a plaque erected for Govind Gaikwad, a Dalit who is said to have performed the final rites of Maratha emperor Sambhaji, son of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

The incident led to 49 people being booked under the Atrocities Act and a call for a bandh in the village on 1 January, the day of the Bhima-Koregaon bicentenary celebrations, raising even more questions as to why the government did not anticipate trouble on the day.

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