Dalits to protest despite ban

MUMBAI: The stage is set for a heady confrontation between the state government and the Republican Party outfits in Nagpur, where the state legislature’s winter session begins on December 4.

All Republican factions and several Dalit organisations have called for a morcha on Monday to protest the alleged desecration of a BR Ambedkar statue in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, last week.

The Congress-led DF government in the state had denied permission to the morcha on Saturday, sensing law and order problems. Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh requested the Republican factions to hold the protest some other day during the session. But they didn’t agree.

“They have not yet accepted the request and are insisting that the morcha be allowed on December 4 only,” Mr Deshmukh told reporters after an all-party meeting in Mumbai on Saturday. The meeting was convened to find a way to pacify the protesting Dalits.

It’s unlikely that the Republican Party factions would accept the request, and since permission to the morcha has already been denied by the police, a bitter face-off seems imminent on Monday, sources said. “We cannot afford to call off the morcha now. That would send a wrong message to our supporters,” a senior Dalit leader said after the meeting.

President of the People’s Republican Party, Jogendra Kawade, however, said the government should allow the morcha and guaranteed that it would be a “peaceful” protest. Mr Deshmukh said the state government did not perceive the morcha to be a protest directed against it.

“We appreciate the feeling of hurt among the Dalits and the Republican Parties and the state is with them in condemning the desecration. But there have been protests at several places across the state and the morcha could lead to law and order problems. The situation in Nagpur is already volatile in the backdrop of the Khairlanji killings,” Mr Deshmukh said.

Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde also appealed the Republican Parties to co-operate with the government and help it restore normalcy. Mr Deshmukh, however, said the government has given instructions for elaborate security arrangements on December 4.

Reports said, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and companies of the state reserve police force (SRPF) and city police, including women commandos, have been deployed in the city in view of the recent violent protests by Dalits across the state.

Security has been enhanced at the official and residential premises of chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and deputy chief minister RR Patil, officials said.