Bhim Army activists stage protest, demand Chandrashekhar’s release

Leaders and activists of Bhim Army staged a protest at Saharanpur collectorate on Thursday to demand the release of the organisation’s president Chandrashekhar alias Ravan, police said.

Leaders and activists of Bhim Army staged a protest at Saharanpur collectorate on Thursday to demand the release of the organisation’s president Chandrashekhar alias Ravan, police said.

Chandrashekhar, a lawyer by profession, was arrested on June 8 by the Special Task Force of UP police from Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh in connection with his alleged role in Saharanpur violence. (File Photo)

The protest was led by Saharanpur district chief of Bhim Army Kamal Singh Walia, and office-bearers Manjeet Singh Nauriyal and Praveen Gautam, they said.

During the protest, Bhim Army leaders demanded Chandrashekhar’s release and targeted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Dalits want liberation from Manuwad, Brahminwad, RSS and BJP. We will continue the protest till Chandrashekhar is not released from jail,” a Bhim Army leader said.

A Bhim Army activist, Sachin (goes by first name), claimed that they handed over a list of 200 people who wanted to court arrest but the police reduced the number to 65 comprising members and office-bearers of Bhim Army’s Saharanpur unit.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Saharanpur, Babloo Kumar said the protesters handed over a list to the police but refused to confirm the number of leaders or activists who courted arrest.

In their charter of demands submitted to district administration officials, Bhim Army activists demanded immediate release of Chandrashekhar, withdrawal of cases from Bhim Army members, compensation to victims of caste violence in Shabbirpur village and arrest of BJP MP from Saharanpur Raghav Lakhanpal and BJP’s Saharanpur unit chief Amit Gangneja for their role in caste violence Sadak Doodhli.

A clash had broken out between Dalits and police in Saharanpur on May 9 last year after the police used force on people protesting against caste violence in Saharanpur’s Shabbirpur village on May 5.

Chandrashekhar, a lawyer by profession, was arrested on June 8 by the Special Task Force of UP police from Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh in connection with his alleged role in Saharanpur violence.

When the high court ordered Chandrashekhar’s release in November, the UP government slapped the National Security Act (NSA) on him.