The Congress on Friday, 8 June said that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) “duplicity and doublespeak” was exposed again in Bhima-Koregaon violence, citing the remarks of Union Minister and NDA ally Ramdas Athawale, who termed the arrests of Dalit activists in connection with the incident as an "injustice".
Five people were arrested under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for inciting violence and communal enmity, leading to the Bhima Koregaon protests and violence in January 2018.
Athawale said the Elgar Parishad and subsequent violence near Pune had no Naxal connection.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala questioned if Maharashtra government was lying since they described the five accused as ‘Maoist operatives.’
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale calls arrests of Dalit activists as ‘injustice’ and says ‘no relation of Elgaar Parishad with violence’. Maharashtra government describes them as ‘Maoist operatives’. Who is lying?Randeep Surjewala
Ambedkarites Can Never Be Naxals and Naxals Can Never Be Ambedkarites: Athawale
After Pune Police found a letter from the house of one of the five arrested, targeting PM Narendra Modi in a "Rajiv Gandhi-type incident", Athawale condemned “the anti-national elements hatching such a conspiracy.”
Athawale said action should be taken against those arrested for alleged Naxal links if there was evidence.
"Ambedkarites can never be Naxals and Naxals can never be Ambedkarites. I will speak to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis if there are any genuine Ambedkarites among those arrested," the minister said.
Randeep Surjewala Questions Athawale’s Statement
Speaking to ANI, Surjewala demanded a thorough and fair probe into the Bhima-Koregaon violence.
He said Athawale had also called for the arrest of RSS acolyte, Sambhaji Bhide, whom the prime minister visited in 2014 and praised in a public rally in Sangli.
"Is this the reason why Maharashtra government is not acting against Bhide and Milind Ekbote?" he asked.
The Congress leader said that terrorism, Naxalism and extremism were unacceptable as no one knew it better then the Congress, which sacrificed Mahatama Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, besides Beant Singh, V C Shukla and Nand Kumar Patel among others.
Congress spokesperson Shakti Singh Gohil cited Athawale's theory that Dalits cannot indulge in such violence and said the NDA should first clarify which theory is right.
"The cabinet works with collective responsibility. Athawale is giving a different theory while the police inquiry is giving a different theory, which the union minister is rejecting. So NDA should first clarify who is right, the police or the minister," he asked.
BJP Blames Congress
The BJP cited the internal letter purportedly of CPI (Maoists) that pointed to funding received by the proscribed outfit from the Congress to "stop the Modi juggernaut" in next year's Lok sabha polls by spreading "chaos" in the country.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the document has "exposed" the Congress like never before and has striped it of "every cloth of modesty".
(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)
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