Ahmedabad: Sammelan of Dalits has concluded peacefully today afternoon in Acher area of Sabarmati in Ahmedabad. The sammelan was described as “non-political” by organizers, however it was full of anti-BJP govt speeches in parts. The sammelan was organized by various NGOs that are into Dalit activism. The organizers wanted to hold this sammelan near Collector office, but the administration allocated them Acher ground in Sabarmati. Due to rainfall, the ground had suffered water logging following which sammelan was shifted to a road located next to the ground. There was a presence of over 10,000 persons in this sammelan. Former IPS Rahul Sharma addressed the sammelan and said he would lead a yatra from Ahmedabad to Una during 5-15 August. National tricolor will be hoisted in Una on 15 August, he further said. Shamshad Pathan, lawyer associated with late Mukul Sinha founded Jan Sangharsh Manch was another speaker in this sammelan. One of key organizers Jignesh Mevani said culprits in Una atrocity case must not be free in future or they would harass the victim family. They should be sent back to prison under PASA. He said Dalits don’t want to do the job of dealing with bodies of dead animals. They want land so that they can cultivate and get better life. He said all sweepers working in local bodies should get benefits of 6th wage commission. He demanded special courts to deal with atrocity cases. Mevani, a young boy who was the face of sammelan has been associated with Aam Aadmi Party(AAP). When asked about his association with AAP by a media person, Jignesh didn’t reply it properly and skipped AAP reference. Mevani who is lawyer was lastly in news when he defended an advertisement by Human Development and Research Center (HDRC), an NGO run by St Xavier’s Non-Formal Education Society, seeking toilet cleaners from general category castes. After the Una incident in which some goons who have criminal record in the past, shamefully and brutally thrashed rural leather workers, many Dalit organizations including Church-funded NGO Navsarjan have come into action. Police has added conspiracy section in Una case. Why leather workers who fall under Dalit class were thrashed, why video of this incident was captured by culprits themselves and why it was circulated by them – are some of the key questions under probe. After some violent incidents peace has prevailed in the state. Gujarat has around 6-7% dalit population.

Meanwhile state BJP SC morcha president Ambalal Rohit said Gujarat government has taken quick actions in Una atrocity case and pushed culprits to jail. BJP government is always active when it comes to Dalit cause, but some people make allegations for political gains. Rohit said those activists who have been anti-BJP and anti-Gujarat government so far are opportunist liars who want to make political benefits. While BJP government in state is keeping all communities together on the path of development, some people are in race to become saviors of Dalits. Those whose past has been anti-BJP and anti-Gujarat government are in the name of Dalits trying to defame BJP and desperately attempting to get platform in order to gain political gains. Rohit said the people of Gujarat know such people who are shouting about atrocity on Dalits and trying to gain from the incident. Such efforts are not going to get people’s support. Their wish to spark off class war is not going to materialize.

DeshGujarat