By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Social activists, common citizens and even some faces from the film industry are likely to participate in a demonstration march on Saturday in Mumbai to show solidarity with three dalit victims from Ahmednagar district.
Rashtriya Ekta Manch, a Mumbai-based NGO, has planned the protest to show solidarity with the dalit victims killed brutally at their Jawkheda village in Ahmednagar. The protest long march will start at 2.30 pm from Raja Badhe Square, Dadar and pass through Plaza junction to end at Chaitya Bhoomi. The NGO expects hundreds of people to attend the march.
Known film personalities such as Nana Patekar, Amol Palekar, theatre and film director Jabbar Patel, film producer N Chandra and singer Faiyyaz are likely to participate in the protest.
“Cases of violence against minorities and dalits have increased in the state over a period of time. There are nearly 150 cases of atrocities against dalits in Ahmednagar district alone. The protest is organized to show solidarity towards the vulnerable communities and the backward class people, who continue to be denied justice,” Congress Rajya Sabha MP Husain Dalwai, also the president of Rashtriya Ekta Manch, told reporters.
Condemning in strongest words the brutal murder of three dalits in Ahmednagar district last month, Dalwai said, “We will continue to raise voices against inaction of police in the state irrespective of which party government rules the state and hence we have organized the protest tomorrow (November 15).”
Recalling and condemning the earlier killings of dalit people at Khairlanji, Sonai and Kharda villages in the state, he demanded that the government should take immediate steps to arrest the perpetrators in all these cases.
The Congress Rajya Sabha MP also suggested appointment of a panel to investigate such matters and a separate committee under a judge for the protection of the community in general and victims in specific.
Activist Meena Naik said, “I am trying to get noted people attend the march and for that purpose have spoken with Nana Patekar, who is presently in Goa and he has assured of attending the march to show solidarity with the victims.”
The Rashtriya Ekta Manch had organized a similar march in Pune couple of months ago to show solidarity with the family of Muslim techie Muhsin Shaikh killed in communal violence under taken allegedly by right wing Hindu Rashtra Sena activists on June 2.
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