Drop atrocity charges, says Maratha body
DEMAND Sakal Maratha Kranti Morcha asks for ₹25 lakh compensation to the family of Rahul Phatangale and strict action against those who incite the two communities
PUNE: As tension gripped various parts of Maharashtra after the Bhima Koregaon violence, a Maratha outfit on Wednesday sought withdrawal of cases registered against 49 people from Vadhu village, 3km from BhimaKoregaon in Pune, under the Prevention of Atrocities Act in connection with the incident at Vadhu village.
According to the police and villagers HT spoke to, the Vadhu incident caused the violence in Bhima-koregaon and the subsequent state-wide protests.
During a press conference in Pune, Sakal Maratha Kranti Morcha demanded stern action against people who created the rift between two communities.
It demanded a detailed investigation into the Vadhu incident in which allegedly the ‘tomb’ of Govind Mahar Gaikwad was damaged and a contentious board was put up.
Last week, a board was found put up near a structure believed to be the tomb of Mahar in Vadu. The board stated Mahar performed the last rites of Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj after he was killed by Mughal king Aurangzeb in 1689. By doing so, he defied Aurangzeb’s orders. Local villagers, who believed that it was their ancestors who had performed the last rites of Sambhaji Maharaj, allegedly tried to remove the board, leading to a quarrel, which resulted in a police case.
“We demand a detailed inquiry into the incident and ask the state government to bring the main perpetrators to justice,” said Shantaram Kunjir, one of the Morcha conveners.
He said the outfit demanded dropping of cases registered against 49 people under the antiatrocities Act, which is believed to have triggered the violence at Bhima Koregaon.