Dhawale is a Dalit activist, not Maoist: Republican Panthers

MUMBAI: Sudhir Dhawale, who was arrested from Govandi for alleged Maoist links, is an “activist fighting against Dalit atrocities” and “innocent”, claimed the members of his group, Republican Panthers Caste Annihilation Movement.

“Dhawale has been actively participating in protests since Rohith Vemula’s death and against the atrocities meted out against Dalits,” Sharad Gaikwad, president of the movement told HT from Govandi, where Dhawale was picked up at 6am by a team from the Pune police. “He has been framed to save the real perpetrators behind the Bhima-koregaon violence.”

Dhawale and four others were held from different places in the country for their role in inciting people that led to the violence at Bhima-koregaon in January after a first information report was lodged against them at Pune’s Vishram Baug police station. Dhawale was earlier booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2011. “He was jailed for 40 months until a sessions court released him,” said Gaikwad.

A day before the violence, a ‘yalgar parishad’ was held in the historic Shaniwar Wada area of Pune to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Koregaon in which the army of Peshwa Bajirao II was defeated by the East India Company, whose regiment comprised of a large number of Mahar Dalits.

“It was at this parishad when we pledged to not vote for the BJP,” said Gaikwad. “They have now made a story (of his Maoist links). He was innocent during his arrest in 2011 and he is innocent now as well. His work about our movement is being portrayed as Maoist material.”

Gaikwad also said people’s attention was being diverted from the Bhima-koregaon probe to Dhawale’s arrest. “Fear is being created in people’s minds against Dhawale by branding him a Maoist.”

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