The All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) organised a protest outside the Maharashtra Sadan against recent attacks on Dalits at the bicentenary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle and the subsequent violence that spread across Maharashtra.
‘Full responsibility’
The students demanded the resignation of Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis and demanded that he take “full responsibility for the death and undisputed attacks on the Dalit community as the police silently stood and watched the attacks on Dalits by the Saffron-clad men”.
There was heavy police presence outside the venue and the area had been cordoned off by the Delhi Police. JNUSU president Geeta Kumari said, “I was warned by the Delhi Police not to hold the protest against the attacks on Dalits in Koregaon. This shows that the BJP government has given its full support to the attack and itself created a situation of riot where Dalit Bahujan who had gathered to observe Bhima-Koregaon anniversary were attacked.”
Addressing those who had gathered at the protest, Sucheta De, president of AISA, alleged that it was clear that those who attacked Dalits have a direct link with the BJP as the attackers had held saffron flags in their hand and that the main accused for the attack was known for his proximity to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The whole situation of riot was created with full support from the BJP. We demand that the Devendra Fadnavis government take responsibility for the riot and resign,” she added.
‘Not the first time’
Students said that it was not the first time that Dalits have been attacked under the Narendra Modi government. The said that even in Una and Saharanpur a situation of riot was created where Dalits were attacked and false cases were lodged against their leaders.
“Chandrashekhar Azad of Bheem Army is facing charges under the National Security Act [NSA] while Dalits in Koregaon who had gathered to celebrate their history were attacked by people carrying saffron flags with direct allegiance to ruling BJP and RSS,” said Kawalpreet Kaur, a Delhi University student from AISA.
