by Muslim Mirror Staff

Global Ambedkarites based in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, the Middle East, and Japan, have strongly condemned the killing of a Dalit youth, Akshay Bhalerao in Nanded Maharashtra and the group called upon “the government to take immediate steps to stop the atrocities” against scheduled Castes and Buddhists.

“Caste Atrocities are common in such villages where the Scheduled Castes and Buddhists are daily humiliated, mocked, or abused with caste slurs and women subjected to sexual violence,” the group said.

According to the group, “the incidents of caste atrocities are not limited to this remote village, but we have witnessed the same in Mumbai, the Capital of Maharashtra, Akash Jadhav in 2021, Dr. Payal Tadvi in 2019, or Bhima Koregaon in 2018, Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote, charged under the IPC and the Atrocities Act for the violence are not arrested.”

“The conviction in case of Prevention of Atrocities Act is less than 10%, and there is no monitoring committee meeting called either by Chief Minister or by Social Justice Minister,” the group said.

The group cited Rule 16 which states that state government “shall constitute a high power vigilance and monitoring committee”.

“The State has the greater responsibility to monitor implementation of the Prevention of Atrocities Act. No High Power Monitoring Committee, No Contingency Plan, No Exclusive Special Courts, No Exclusive Special Public Prosecutors, No Legal Aid, No timely compensations, is the sorry state of affairs in implementing the Act,” the group said.

“As the Chief Minister and Social Justice Minister makes tall claim that ‘A Rikshawala can become Chief Minister, because of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution’ and yet an Ambedkarite Buddhist Youth is ruthlessly murdered for celebrating Dr Ambedkar Jayanti,” they said.

The group demanded that the village be declared an “Atrocity Prone Area” and a special police force team be set up for the next 2 years in the village to protect the impacted Set up a Police Check Post in the village.

“Extern the dominant caste goons for a period of at least 3 years,” the group said.

The group has demanded the formation of a high-level monitoring committee and an urgent meeting. They also advocate for the establishment of dedicated special courts, rather than using existing courts, in Maharashtra. These courts should prioritize the speedy resolution of pending cases related to atrocities filed in Maharashtra. They demanded the prompt appointment of a special public prosecutor and conducting of trials in these exclusive special courts.

Furthermore, the group urged the Chief Minister to officially celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti in the village of Bondhar, Nanded.

Akshay Bhalerao’s murder

In Bundar Haveli village of Maharashtra’s Nanded district, a disturbing incident took place on June 1 involving a Dalit youth named Akshay Bhalerao. He was brutally assaulted by a group of individuals using sticks and daggers.

Akash, the victim’s elder brother, filed a complaint at the Nanded Rural Police Station, resulting in the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) regarding the incident.

According to the FIR, the incident occurred when Akshay and Akash visited a local grocery store in the evening. They were confronted by a group of men who were part of a wedding procession for a Maratha bridegroom. These men insulted Akshay based on his caste and were carrying weapons like swords, sticks, and daggers as they were celebrating and dancing to DJ music. The FIR highlighted the aggressive and alarming nature of the attack.

One of the accused individuals initiated the incident by directing casteist insults at Akshay and Akash when he spotted them at the grocery store.

The accused allegedly said, “These two must be killed, you dare to celebrate Bhim Jayanti?”