Page 52 - 31JAN2018E

Sheer mockery of fair

play and justice in Bhima

Koregaon violence probe

The investigation into the incident at Bhima Koregaon village where one died and scores
of people were injured seems to have reached a dead end as, according to Dalit activists,
police is trying to mislead the court by falsely implicating Elgar Parishad members,
write manmohan singh naula and jawed khurshid

n January 1, 2019, the huge seven-odd Indian cities last year and hardliners for fanning hatred and vio-
gathering of Dalits was wit- prominent activists were held under lence at Bhima Koregaon. The duo was
nessed at Bhima Koregaon charges of Maoist activities. In a 5,000 booked for attempt to murder, unlawful
— a sleepy hamlet on the pages chargesheet, the police alleged assembly and rioting, among others, and
O Pune-Ahmednagar high- that Maoist sympathisers were behind under the Scheduled Caste and Sched-
way, to celebrate British Era war where Bhima-Koregaon violence. They were uled Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act.
a numerically minuscule Dalit contin- charged under sedition and waging war Later, Ekbote was put behind bars.
gent of the British Army had inflicted against the Indian state Act of IPC. Ironically, the probe seemed to have
embarrassing defeat on the Peshwa’s The Pune police (Urban) is probing reached a dead end as the cops were not
mighty infantry. In the backdrop of last December 31 Elgaar Parishad meet at eager to arrest Bhide and Ekbote was re-
year’s violence that had besmirched the Pune which was called allegedly by Dalit leased on bail for want of evidence. Many
face of Devendra Fadnavis government, and Left outfits. The second probe, which consider this as the travesty of justice
the administration this year has taken is conducted by Pune (Rural) police, is in- including Prakash Ambedkar. The pre-
extra care by posting heavy police and vestigating Koregaon Bhima violence on text for violence was arbitrarily put as
paramilitary bandobast to avert similar December 31. the ‘sudden clash’ between two groups
mishap. On the complaint of one Dalit activist — one carrying ‘blue flags’ and another
History for some brings glory while Anita Ravindra Savale, the Pune Rural with ‘saffron flags’. Although, the police
on others heaps insults and embarrass- police had filed an FIR against Samastha assured that the probe into the involve-
ment. Dalits of Maharashtra celebrates Hindutva Aghadi president Milind Ek- ment of Ekbote and Bhide into the said
the victory of 22 Mahar regiment over bote and Shiv Chhatrapati Pratishan violence is still on. The duo has however
the upper-caste warrior kings — Pesh- founder Sambhaji Bhide, both Hindu categorically rejected the charges. How-
was, which was allegedly an eye-sore
for upper-caste Hindus. The violence at
Bhima Koregaon village is viewed in this
perspective by political analysts. Prakash ambedkar, grandson of BR Ambedkar
Currently, the investigation to the
unpleasant incident at Bhima Koregaon “The two police — Pune Rural and Pune Urban are investigat-
where one died and scores of people ing the violence at Koregaon Bhima. Both are at variance as far
were injured, seemed to have reached a as the line of investigation goes. The demand for Bhide’s arrest
dead end as according to Dalit activists, is put under scanner.
the police is trying to mislead the court The Commission would scrutiny the causes for failure and reason for not
by falsely implicating Elgar Parishad acting while the civil court will hear victims petition. In order to save their
members — those who have nothing to skin, the authorities are saying that the government should decide whom to
do with the violence last year. examine and whom not to examine. The Commission should be empowered
The Dalit-dominated village of 5,000 to decide this. This is a sheer mockery of fair play and justice and so we have
people, post violence, is now equated asked the government to wind-up the commission.
with Naxalism, thanks to the investigat- The government shudders over the approaching state assembly elections
ing agencies that are single-mindedly possibly in March this year. And there is the greater possibility of the change in
determined to probe on this line. This regime. We will pitch in for the Commission under new dispensation to exam-
was manifested by the nationwide raids ine the authorities those who tried to derail justice.”
carried out by the security forces across

Tehelka / 31 january 2019 52 www.Tehelka.com