Pune: Samasta Hindu Aghadi, an organization led by Milind
Ekbote, and others, including dalit groups, on Friday extended their support to Ekbote. They said he never indulged in caste politics and had been falsely blamed for the violence at Koregaon Bhima on January 1.
The organizations demanded speedy completion of the judicial inquiry by the state government and said Ekbote should not be arrested till the outcome of the inquiry.
Addressing a news conference here on Friday, representatives of the organizations said Ekbote was being politically targeted. They alleged that people opposing Ekbote's work of gau-raksha and those connected with the Naxalite movement may be targeting him.
Kisan Jadhav of Lahuji Wastad Pratishthan said he was associated with Ekbote for three decades. "Ektobe has been working for the uplift of dalit youths. He has given scholarships to youths and felicitated them at annual programmes. People jealous of Ekbote's work are targeting him," Jadhav said.
Abhijit Waghchaure of Athara Padal Jati Sanghatan Sachiv said Ekbote's work of gau-raksha has not been accepted by some people.
Mohan Dongre, convenor of Rashtriya Ekatmata Din, said Ekbote had been attacked on a couple of occasions because of his gau-raksha initiative. He was given police protection after repeated attacks and threats.
The aghadi members said Ekbote was under instruction of the police and hence he had not spoken after the January 1 violence, and said he would speak to the media soon.
