Koregaon-Bhima case: Arrest 'political bosses', says Ambedkar

Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar on Friday demanded that the Maharashtra government arrest the "political bosses" on whose instructions the police arrested activists in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence.

Ambedkar's remarks follow reports of NCP president Sharad Pawar writing to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, alleging that the violence was the result of a conspiracy hatched by the then BJP-led government with the help of police, and seeking an SIT probe.

NCP sources confirmed that Pawar had written a letter some ten days ago, but did not disclose its contents.

Speaking to reporters here, Ambedkar asked Pawar to make public the "documents" he has in his possession.

 

"Pawar has written to the government is what I have read in newspapers. My only request to the government is it should assure the (police) officials who are involved that it won't take action against them even if they were wrong," Ambedkar said.

"But they should disclose who were the political bosses who gave the orders (to arrest activists) and the government should act against such political bosses," the leader of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi said.

According to Pune police, the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, was supported by Maoists and inflammatory speeches made at the event led to caste violence at Koregaon-Bhima war memorial in the district the next day.

The Left-leaning activists arrested during the probe had links with Maoists, police claimed, booking them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Shoma Sen, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Varavara Rao were arrested in the case.

Last month, Pawar had termed the arrests as "wrong" and "vengeful" and demanded probe by a special investigation team.

Meanwhile, BJP leader and former minister Vinod Tawde alleged that Pawar wanted to protect "urban naxals".

"It is unfortunate that Pawar, who had been a chief minister and (state) home minister (should write such a letter. It is not expected of Pawar saheb," he told reporters.