Gadchiroli Sept. 17 (District Correspondent) To protest against the atrocities on Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs and minority communities in the country a massive dharna agitation was held at Indira Chowk of the city this afternoon.
The agitation was organized jointly by various social and political organizations of the city. The workers assembled at the Chouk in large numbers and shouted slogans of their demands. A memorandum of demands addressed to the President of India was then submitted to the Gadchiroli PSO Arvind Katlam in the dharna pandal itself.
The main demands of the agitation were – the defaced national emblem installed on the new parliament building be changed soon, the accused in the Bilkis Bano rape and murder case be re -arrested immediately, a teacher thrashing a Dalit student in Rajasthan school be given death punishment, the BJP leader exploiting a tribal woman from Jharkhand be given severe punishment, stringent action be taken against the accused of rape and murder two minor Dalit girls from Lakhimpuri Khiri, strict action be taken against those responsible for the suicide of tribal farmer from village Malampadi in Etapalli taluka, atrocities against the Dalits, Adivasis, obcs and minorities be prevented strictly etc.
The leaders of various organizations – Mr. Rohidas Raut, Kusumtai Alam, Prakash Arjunwar, Bharat Yerme, Munishwar Borkar, Manohar Hepat, Vilas Nimborkar, Vijay Gordwar, Raj Basod, Gulabrao Madavi, Vasant Kulasange spoke in the protest meeting and condemned the growing incidents of the atrocities against the Dalits and Adiwasis. They demanded stern action against the perpetrators of these atrocities.
Janaradan Taksande, Hansraj Undirwade, Gautam Dange, Pradip Bhaisare, Keshav Samutwar, Bhojraj Kanekar, Surekha Barsagade, Jayshree Yerme, Ashok Khobragade, Anil Barsagade, Naredra Raipure, Neeta Sahare, Jyoti Undirwade, Arpana Khewale, Wanmala Zade, Jyoti Chaudhari, Sainath Pugati, Bhimrao Shende, Purushottam Ramteke, Prahlad Raipure, Anand Kangale, Nandkishore Bhaisare, Shukdev Wasnik, Kunal Kowe, Poonam Bhaisare, Malatai Meshram, Pratik Dange, Pramod Raut, Mala Pudo, Jony Somankar and many activists of various political parties and social organizations were present in the agitation.
Major parties and organizations participating in the dharna agitation were – Jan Adhikar Manch, Adivasi Ekta Yuva Manch, Mahatma Gandhi International Thought Forum, All India Adivasi Employees Federation, Jamate Islami Hind, BRSP, All India Republican Party, Peoples Republican Party, Bharat Mukti Morcha, Baburao Madavi Memorial Committee, Adiwasi Gondwana Gotul Samiti, Republican Mahila Aghadi, National Tribal Women’s Federation, Congress SC Women’s Cell and others.
