Dr Ambedkar's grandson, Dalit leader Prakash, calls for Maharashtra bandh to protest Koregaon-Bhima riots
Following the deadly riots during the Koregaon-Bhima battle anniversary celebrations, Maharashtra Dalit leader Prakash Yashwant Ambedkar has called for a state-wide bandh.
In Short
- Prakash Yashwant Ambedkar calls for state-wide bandh over Koregaon-Bhima riots.
- Bandh over deadly violence that hit Koregaon-Bhima battle anniversary celebrations.
- Protests over the violence has already hit Mumbai, Pune today.
Yesterday's deadly violence in Pune during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the of the Koregaon-Bhima battle is slowly spiraling into a major storm with Maharashtra Dalit leader Prakash Yashwant Ambedkar calling for a state-wide shutdown tomorrow.
Prakash, the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and a leader of the Bhartiya Republican Party - Bahujan Mahasangh, while calling for the band also alleged that the perpetrators of yesterday's violence belonged to "right-wing organisations" and had the "tactic support" of the Devendra Fadnavis state government.
At the same time, Ambedkar said he was "appealing for peace" and promised that "tomorrow's bandh would be peaceful" even as he asserted that had he not controlled the Dalit crowd on Monday the situation would have been worse.
The aftermath of yesterday's riots has already seen violence. Mumbai and Pune have seen protests and rallies, with some sporadic incidents of violence.
Mumbai's Chembur and Ghatkoper suburbs have been particularly affected with demonstrators damaging shops and bring railway services to a halt.
Today's protests come after a clash between two groups during yesterday's anniversary celebrations of the 1818 Battle of Koregaon, in which the Britishers defeated an army of Peshwas.
A group opposed to the celebration of the anniversary clashed with Dalits marching to the Koregaon Bhima battle memorial in Pune. The clash led to the death of one man.
Maharashtra: Security heightened in Mumbai's Chembur #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/WGAIDaKJX7- ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018
Maharahstra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging people "not to believe in rumours", said a judicial inquiry into the man's death will be ordered. Fadnavis also asked political parties to "refrain from making any decisive statements".
The chief minister's comments before Ambedkar issued his call for a state-wide bandh. The Mumbai Police spokesperson, reacting to the call for the state-wide bandh, said his force will be fully prepared.
Earlier, Opposition leaders used yesterday's riots and the following protests to take aim the Fadnavis-led Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra.
"I spoke to the locals of Vadhu village and I am told that some outsiders who belonged to right-wing organisations provoked the violence", Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar claimed.
The Congress too made similar allegations. "The attack was completely pre-meditated. Some people from RSS were campaigning in the area for some time and were trying to instigate people on the backdrop of recent tensions," Raju Waghmare, spokesperson of the Maharashtra Congress, said.
(With inputs from Kamlesh Sutar in Mumbai)
(The story has been updated to include additional comments made by Ambedkar)
WATCH | Dalits take to streets in protest after deadly Pune Koregaon Bhima violence