Prakash Ambedkar has pointed out a threatening Facebook post against Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis and minister, Girish Bapat allegedly by a close associate of Manohar (Shambhaji) Bhide, Raosaheb Patil against which the Maharashtra government and administration have simply failed to act.
Addressing a packed press conference at his office in South Mumbai yesterday, Ambedkar called Milind Ekbote and Shambhaji Bhide homegrown terrorists. Claiming to have proof that Raosaheb Patil, is a close aide of Shambhaji Bhide, Ambedkar quotes the January 1 post (screen shot) that has been subsequently deleted. “If the numbers (of those killed at Bhima Koregaon) do not add up, then Girish Bapat and CM Devendra Phadnavis should be also cut up. I don’t have problems.”
This sinister and violent FB post was made at 10.12. a.m on January 1, 2018. Prakash Ambedkar said that while the Dalit leadership took constructive steps to ensure containment of the anger and damage, Hindutvawaadi organisations like this were out to create anarchy and mayhem –unfettered and unscrutinised– that day. Ambedkar has been calling for the arrests of Ekbote and Bhide from the first day of the Bhima Koregaom violence. He has also been making a distinction between the RSS, which he terms as ‘scrutinised’ Hindutvawaadi organisation and those like the Sanatan Sanstha which are both unfettered and unscrutinised.
The response of the police has been as bad as the contents of this post, said Ambedkar. “The CP, Pune, Additional CP, Pune, SP, Pune Rural, Additional SP, Pune and IB officials simply did not communicate the warnings that this kind of venomous and dangerous message meant, to the chief minister. Why?” he asked. “We demand that all these officers are transferred to the Mantralaya for decorative posts since they have let the force down and failed in their duty,” he said.
Ambedkar further demanded, “Why is CM not acting against men who are threatening his life? Never before has a post like this ever dared to be put out on social media. We demand action against Ekbote and Bhide. They are the future Hafeez Sayeed’s of Hindutva, home grown terrorists.”
“Who is their ‘Guru’,” he asked. “Shambhaji Bhide. Hence action against them both is a must,” he asserted.
Referring to the Lokmat newspaper of March 5, 2010 filed by the Margao representative that reported on Pune-based Sahran Kulkarni of Sanatan Sanstha’s involvement in both the Margao Diwali blasts and the blasts that had taken place at German bakery on February 13 as part of a common thread and conspiracy, he alleged that the Pune’s German bakery investigation is incomplete and inconclusive. The lower court afforded death sentence, the appeal was heard in the High court and went unreported. Ujwal Nikam was the special public prosecutor, the Court commuted the death penalty but the accused was given ten years for the RDX seized in his house. These are matters of great concern and need thorough and intrepid investigation.
Last week, Ambedkar had named Sambhaji Bhide of Shiv Pratisthan and Milind Ekbote of Samast Hindu Aghadi as persons behind the riots and the police had also booked them. The FIR was registered at Pimpri police station against Bhide, Ekbote and their supporters, and was later sent to Pune Rural Police, which has Bhima Koregaon under its jurisdiction. The complaint was filed by social worker Anita Ravindra Salve (39), a member of the Bahujan Republican Socialist Party. Both have been booked under IPC sections for attempt to murder and rioting, and relevant sections of the Prevention of Atrocities Act following the clashes in Bhima Koregaon.
Alleging targeting of Dalits, he said, “We have been told around 3,000 persons have been either detained or arrested. The police action is wrong.” DCP Cyber Crime Akbar Pathan said they had not received any complaint about allegedly threatening post that Ambedkar had pointed out.