Athawale, Union minister: Mevani not responsible for Bhima Violence

Ramdas Athawale, Union minister of state for social justice and president of Republican Party of India has stated clearly that Dalit leader and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and JNU student leader Umar Khalid are being framed and were not responsible for the Bhima-Koregaon Violence.

Athawale who was attending a press conference on Saturday said Mevani may have said something which may be proactive but the actual reason for violence was something else.

According to him Marathas have held a meeting at midnight on December 31 after which the violence was started.

"He (Mewani) may have said something provocative but is not responsible for the unrest. Tension between the two communities erupted after a banner — put up by a Dalit youth explaining the history of Govind Mahar, a Dalit farmer who cremated Sambhaji Maharaj's body against the order of a Mughal emperor— was torn down," Athawale said.

"The tension was defused after several leaders, including me, intervened. But a meeting by the Marathas took place around midnight on January 31, and the very next day, Dalits, who had come to mark the bicentenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, were attacked and vehicles burnt," he added. When asked about right-wing leaders Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote, prime accused for the violence, he said Fadnavis had assured action against the guilty be it Bhide or Ekbote.