Gwalior clash: Cong, BSP come out in support of Ambedkar Manch

A clash between the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists and members of the Ambedkar Vichar Manch (AVM) in Gwalior during a discussion on Dalit icon BR Ambedkar snowballed into a major political drama on Monday with the Congress, CPI(M) and BSP coming out in support of the AVM.

The BJYM and AVM members locked horns on Sunday when the former group interrupted the address by a JNU professor, forcing police to use mild force on to disperse the two sides. An FIR was registered against BJYM president and 100 others under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act after the incident.

Leaders from several political parties along with several supporters and sympathisers of the AVM staged a demonstration and burnt an effigy of the BJP-led state and Union governments at different places to protest against the BJYM.

AVM activists submit memo to SP

Over 100 AVM activists, including organiser of the Sunday symposium prof PC Jatav, handed over a memorandum to SP (Gwalior) HN Mishra. The protesters wore black gags as a mark of protest and demanded a judicial probe against the people who instigated the Sunday clash. They also demanded that a FIR that was lodged against the AVM programme organisers be quashed.

The AVM supporters staged a demonstration at Phoolbagh to protest against the alleged attempt by the ruling class to suppress the ideals and ideologies professed by Babasaheb Ambedkar.

A counter-FIR was registered against Dinesh Maurya -- the AVM leader who sustained injury in the clash -- and 200 other AVM activists/sympathizers, by the BJP late on Sunday. The counter-FIR was used as ammunition by the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to further politicise the issue by playing the Dalit card.

At a rally, former Congress MLA Govind Singh Rajput criticised PM Narendra Modi, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the RSS for its alleged anti-Dalit attitude and repressive and fascists tendencies/policies.

District BJP president, Devesh Sharma, however has distanced himself from the Sunday’s incident.

Meanwhile, the SP (Gwalior) told HT that the police were collecting evidences, such as video footages, to identify the culprits. Mishra said he had also asked the Manch to provide video footages of Sunday programme.

First Published: Feb 22, 2016 21:21 IST