PM Modi must break silence on violence against Dalits, says Jignesh Mevani
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Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on violence during the celebration of the bicentenary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district of Maharashtra.
Violence had erupted in Pune on January 1 when Dalit groups were celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in which soldiers from the Mahar (Dalit) community, as part of the East India Company's forces, defeated the Peshwas of Maharashtra. The Peshwas were Brahmins, and the victory is seen as a symbol of Dalit assertiveness.
Asking the Prime Minister to clear his stand, the newly-elected Gujarat MLA said, "The Prime Minister is a self-proclaimed follower of Dr BR Ambedkar, why is he silent? Why are Dalit events like the one in Pune attacked? Why are Dalits not secure in India? We want to know if he has any commitment to the annihilation of caste...which was Dr Ambedkar's ultimate goal."
He added that he would ask Prime Minister Modi to choose between Manusmriti and Constitution at a rally in the national capital on January 9.
"On January 9, I will hold Constitution in one hand and Manu Smiriti in other hand and would like to ask Prime Minister Modi whether this country would run on Constitution or Manusmriti," Mevani said.
He denied making any inflammatory speech in Pune and said he was being targeted by the BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
An FIR was filed against the Mevani and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid yesterday for their alleged provocative speeches during an event in Pune on December 31.
"I would like to tell you not one word I spoke is inflammatory. I am a trained lawyer, I respect the law, I am also a lawmaker now," Mevani said.
"Neither did I make any inflammatory speech nor did I take part in the bandh in Maharashtra," he said.
"I am being targeted by the BJP and Sangh," Mevani told reporters at the Press Club of India here.
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