Meerut clash: Dalits to hold mahapanchayat

MEERUT: Dalit residents of Uldepur village in Meerut have decided to hold a mahapanchyat outside the divisional commissioner’s office on Monday to demand justice for the family of the man who was killed in a clash between Rajputs and dalits on August 10.

A dalit man, Rohit (19), was killed and several others were injured in clashes between the two communities when members of the upper caste allegedly took offence to dalits watching a Kanwariya procession.

Police have arrested three upper caste men but dalits are demanding the arrest of all those who have been named in the case and were involved in violence.

Dalit leaders have given a call to the members of the community to participate in the mahapanchayat being organised under the banner of Dalit Sangharsh Morcha.

Dharamveer, father of Rohit (both father and son go by their first names), appealed to dalits not to believe rumours that the mahapanchayat had been called off. “People should attend the mahapanchayat in big number to demand justice for my son,”

› We will demand justice for Rohit. A Facebook page has been created and we have appealed the people to pass the message to all to ensure a good turnout.

DR SUSHIL GAUTAM, president of Democratic Students Front

Dharamveer said in a video which was circulated on social media.

Dalit leader and president of Democratic Students Front Dr Sushil Gautam said, “We will demand justice for Rohit. A Facebook page ‘Justice for Rohit’ has been created and we have appealed the people to pass the message to all to ensure a good turnout.” Earlier, Rajputs had also organised a mahapanchayat outside the commissioner’s office on August 12 under the banner of ‘Rajput Sangharsh Samiti’.

Accusing the police of being biased against them, Rajputs alleged that the police arrested three upper caste men on the complaint of dalits but no dalit was arrested on their complaint.