Maharashtra Violence: At least 40 people have been detained for alleged involvement in large-scale mob violence, stray arson, stone-throwing, and vandalism of public or private property that occurred during a shutdown call here to protest the desecration of a statue of B. R. Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, officials said Wednesday.
According to sources, in addition to the property damage, several CCTVs were demolished. A vast deployment of security officers has been made to address any untoward incidents and keep the situation under control.
On Tuesday, some unknown miscreants smashed a replica of the Constitution held aloft by the figurine outside the Parbhani railway station, resulting in loud protests and violence.
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chairman Prakash Ambedkar demanded on Wednesday night that police stop combing operations in Dalit areas and issued an ultimatum to apprehend all perpetrators by noon tomorrow (Thursday), failing which he will declare the next course of action.
Earlier on Wednesday, outraged by the attack on Ambedkar’s statue, numerous local Dalit organizations came to the streets and called for a Parbhani bandh, which has elicited a near-total reaction since morning.
The incident drew harsh reactions from VBA President Ambedkar, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies, Congress senior leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Nationalist Congress Party-SP state President Jayant R. Patil, Shiv Sena (UBT) Spokesperson Kishore Tiwari, and other figures.
Most shops, commercial establishments, and educational institutions remained closed for the day as crowds of protestors were seen roaming the town, raising slogans praising Ambedkar and denouncing the incident that raised state political temperatures, ahead of the Winter Session of the Legislature, which begins in Nagpur on December 16.
Mobs pelted stones at some vehicles near the Collectorate office, set fire to rubber tyres or piles of garbage on the roads, and walked around holding sticks, rods, or stones, despite the fact that additional security reinforcements were rushed to aid local police.
To restrain the rowdy masses, the police used mild caning or bursting teargas shells on at least one occasion, and they chased groups of protestors in many locations to prevent them from causing further damage.
As a precaution, the police and administration urged the public not to believe rumours, to keep calm, and even to turn off the city’s Internet, while police swooped in to apprehend one man allegedly implicated in the statue’s insult.
Armed police officers and other personnel have been stationed in strategic positions throughout the city, and security has been ramped up in other sensitive districts across the state.
“To say the least, the vandalism of the Indian Constitution on Babasaheb’s statue by casteist miscreants in Parbhani is completely unacceptable. Prakash Ambedkar stated that this is not the first time Babasaheb’s statue or symbol of Dalit identity has been vandalised.
Condemning the event, Wadettiwar stated that the defacement of the statue has generated tensions in Parbhani and questioned “why the police and administration failed to curb it immediately when it came to their notice”.
Patil condemned the incident, lamenting how “apathy is increasing in our society” as such remarks become public.
“There aren’t enough words to denounce this disgrace. The MVA has been battling for the past five years to defend democracy and the constitution, but now certain entrenched interests are targeting the masses’ icon, Ambedkar’s statue, in such a shameful manner,” Tiwari stated.
Ambedkar appealed to the masses to maintain peace, pointing out how the VBA’s local workers first arrived at the scene and protested, after which the police took note, lodged an FIR, and arrested one suspect in the case, but he warned that if “all those responsible are not arrested within 24 hours, there will be consequences”.
“The situation escalated because the cops did not take immediate action. The government must reassure the public that the situation will not escalate further. Wadettiwar asked Constitution supporters and the general public to remain calm and work with the crowds.
Patil sought punishment against such miscreants who attempted to incite public opinion, while Tiwari accused the ruling MahaYuti of failing to create a Cabinet and now fiddling while Parbhani burned.