‘No willpower to catch Dabholkar killers’
Supporters protest against state government’s inaction; organise rally on first death anniversary
PUNE: Supporters of anti-superstition activist, Dr Narendra Dabholkar, conducted a rally on Wednesday to express their anguish over the state’s failure to arrest his killers. Dr Dabholkar was shot dead on August 20 by two unidentified bikers on Omkareshwar temple bridge in Pune’s Peth area while he was out for a morning walk.
Observing his first death anniversary, Dr Dabholkar’s supporters – including senior socialist Dr Baba Adhav, and artistes like Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak and Sonali Kulkarni – began their protest march from Omkareshwar temple bridge.
The march culminated into a meeting on Karve road, where participants of the rally paid homage to the activist. Supporters from all parts of state gathered in Pune to mark his first death anniversary.
At the rally, Dr Adhav took the government task for its failure to arrest the killers of the antisuperstition activist. “The government is aware of the killers, but has no willpower to arrest them,” he claimed, adding, “Dabholkar’s murder is not the murder of an individual, but an attack on the Constitution of India.”
Dabholkar’s daughter Mukta said, “By now, the forces, which killed Dr Dabholkar, must have realised that they killed an individual, but could not kill his thoughts and ideas.” “Making individuals superstitious is the first step towards brewing communal sentiments in the individuals’ mind. Such individuals prove to be soft targets for communal forces,” she said.
Marathi stage actor and director Atul Pethe staged a five-hour special show – Ringan Natya – to pay homage to Dr Dabholkar. “They may kill us, but each bullet we receive will bring out a drama and a poem for Dr Dabholkar’s supporters,” said Pethe.
Various events were also held to mark Dr Dabholkar’s first death anniversary. Activists of Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti (ANS), formed by Dr Dabholkar, had organised a special cycle rally from Islampur in Kolhapur district to Pune. Some ANS activists also held a candle march. In Dr Dabholkar’s home town, Satara, his supporters, including his older brother Dr Dattaprasad, formed a human chain.