ELGAR PARISHAD CAUSED BHIMA KOREGAON VIOLENCE: NGO
MUMBAI: Giving a clean chit to right-wing leaders Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote, a report by a Bangalore-based NGO said that the Elgar Parishad organised by Dalit outfits in Pune last year was responsible for the Bhima Koregaon violence.
Citizen’s Forum for Justice (CFJ) had constituted a ‘factfinding committee’, comprising a retired high court justice, former IPS officer, university professors and lawyers.
The committee submitted its report to President Ram Nath Kovind on October 4 and the governor on Thursday.
The CFJ said the Elgar Parishad was responsible for “strategically planning the clash” between two communities. According to the report, several weeks before the outbreak of violence, propaganda on social media had been creating a rift between Dalits and other communities.
“Prerana marches held by the Parishad and its culmination at Shaniwar Wada on December 31, 2017, resulted in inciting Dalits against the state and Central governments and other communities,” read the report.
It said the allegations against Bhide and Ekbote does not appear to be convincing.
“We interviewed at least nine people who were organisers of the Parishad, but none of them could give sufficient evidence to prove Bhide and Ekbote guilty,” said Kamal Mehta, Professor, Saurashtra University, Rajkot and member of the committee.
Bhide of Shiv Pratisthan Hindustan and Ekbote of Hindu Ekta Aghadi have been accused of inciting violence on January 1.
Prerana marches held by the Parishad resulted in inciting Dalits against the state and Central governments and other communities. CFJ REPORT