The activist couple Sheetal Sathe and Sachin Mali today announced that they were leaving the radical cultural group 'Kabir Kala Manch' and starting a new outfit, 'Navyaan'.
The husband and wife have been staging songs and plays on issues of Dalit rights, caste-based violence and discrimination for the last 15 years.
The couple, as well as the Kabir Kala Manch, had come under the state Anti-Terrorism Squad's scanner some years ago. Both Sathe and Mali were arrested for alleged Naxal links, but later got bail.
"Cultural intolerance is at its peak. Freedom of expression is being suppressed and democracy is being terrorised. Forming a new group, 'Navyaan', is our answer to this," said Mali, speaking to media here.
They were inspired by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's famous book, Annihilation of Caste, to form the group, he said.
"We will not work for any political party. We will work for increasing support for the progressive ideology of Ambedkar and others," said Sathe.
"We believe in democracy and non-violence," she added.
The new group will present its first show at Kolhapur on April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar.
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