The demolition of the Ambedkar Bhavan, which housed a printing press in Dadar of Mumbai, has angered various Dalit organisations and sparked a protest in the city and across the district.
Activists of the Dalit organisations, including the Belagavi District Dalit Sangarsh Samithi and Jai Bhim Sena, took out a procession and staged an angry protest at the Rani Channamma Circle here on Wednesday. They also burnt an effigy of the Maharashtra government. The activists shouted slogans condemning the demolition and criticised the Maharashtra government for its failure to prevent the demolition. They demanded punitive action against those who hatched “a conspiracy to demolish” the bhavan.
Dalit leader Mallesh Chougule said that the demolition of Ambedkar Bhavan and the printing press had come as a tactical assault on Dalits, triggering a nationwide anger among community members. A statue of B.R. Ambedkar was also destroyed in the process.
Submitting a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, he said that five politicians hatched the conspiracy to demolish the structure and they should be immediately arrested and expatriated from the country.
