Dalits say bigger protest next week, will be peaceful

GURUGRAM: Another Dalit protest is expected in Gurugram next week. Dalit leaders told TOI they would avoid any violence but “will organise a bigger protest” against what they claim is the dilution of a law protecting their rights by Supreme Court. The final date for the protest will be decided by the end of this week.
“This time the protests will be peaceful, but bigger. More people will be on the roads this time. We are, however, yet to take a call on whether to go for Bharat bandh or shutdown in some selective parts,” said Dalit leader Satpal Tanwar.

Meanwhile, some Dalit leaders met the Gurugram police commissioner on Thursday and demanded that the FIRs registered against some of their men for Monday’s protests be withdrawn.

Their anticipatory bail pleas will come up for hearing on Friday before the district sessions court.

Dalit leaders Satpal Tanwar and Anil Tanwar have been booked by Gurugram police, along with 10 others and 500 unnamed protesters, for blocking the Delhi-Gurugram expressway under sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 341 (wrongful restraint) of the IPC and Section 8B of the National Highways Act, 1956.

“We told the police commissioner that a mass surrender will take place if any action is taken against any member of the community,” said Pratap Kadam, vice president of Guru Ravidas Mahasabha, Gurugram.

Some Dalit leaders claimed they were “framed” by police. “We have been falsely implicated because Gurugram remained peaceful and we didn’t let any anti-socials take advantage of the situation. Dalits were having a peaceful protest but a few miscreants spread violence and the rest of the country burned,” said Anil Tanwar, head of the Akhil Bhartiya Bhim Sena.