Jignesh Mewani has been detained by Gujarat Police late om the evening of Friday, September 16 as he returned to Ahmedabad. Just two days before he had declared on Facebook, ""I had a Dream that Tables were Flung at PM Modi’s Rally". Jignesh Mevani had vowed to protest at Modi’s Rally in Gujarat on September 17. Clearly the detention is to try and de-rail this protest. Sabrangindia has been tracking developments in Gujarat since July 11. Read: Badbu Gujarat Ki, Greetings to Amitabh Bachchan.
Reactions to this detention have been widespread:
Brinda Karat, Polit Bureau Member, CPIM – "Strongly condemn. Modi proxy can not tolerate criticism of Gujarat model. It will invite anger. Voices for Justice can't be suppressed."
Subhasini Ali, Senior Leader, CPIM – "This is a shocking display of intolerance and it will be resisted all over the country."
Teesta Setalvad, Sabrangindia.in – "Days ago Jignesh challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi openly. There is no doubt that the Government of Gujarat is trying to silence this challenge. Jignesh had said, 'I dreamt that tables were flung at Modi's rally on his birthday, September 17;' Detaining him is the greatest act of repression."
Umar Khalid, JNU- "I strongly condemn the illegal detention of Jignesh Mewani by the Gujarat Police, which is nothing short of a kidnapping. The fact that it comes on the eve of the PM's birthday, for which he is going to Gujarat, shows the morbid fear of the present ruling dispensation to the oppressed people's struggle for justice and dignity. The una movement in the den of the Hindutva forces had shaken them immensely, and these are just desperate measures to break that movement which is spreading like wildfire across the country. But little do they realize that through such actions the end of their oppressive regime comes near. In complete solidarity with Jignesh Mewani. "
On Friday, Jignesh Mevani had addressed a rally in Delhi, sharing a stage with senior leaders of the left parties.Taking part in the rally, Jignesh Mevani, who floated the Dalit Atyachar Ladhai Samiti following flogging of Dalits in Gujarat’s Una, seconded Yechury and said his front will struggle for self-respect of community members in the light of the alleged attacks and also for ensuring “roti, kapada aur makan” for them. He also sought to pick holes in the Gujarat model of development, accusing the BJP-led state government of not keeping electoral promises on providing housing facilities and employment. “We will expose this hollow development model…besides protesting casteism, we want to expose this hollow Gujarat model of development,” he added.
DEVELOPING STORY
1) He has been arrested in light of Prime Minister Modi's birthday tomorrow and will be released on Sunday .
2) CPI(M) Lucknow and progressive groups have called out people to protest in Lucknow on 17th September at 4pm near Ambedkar statue at Hazratganj.
3) Rihai Manch Lucknow-
दलित आंदोलन के नेता जिग्नेश मेवाणी की गुजरात पुलिस द्वारा अवैध हिरासत लोकतंत्र की हत्या – रिहाई मंच
लखनऊ 16 सितम्बर 2016। रिहाई मंच ने ऊना दलित अत्याचार लड़त समिति के संयोजक जिग्नेश मेवाणी को दिल्ली से लौटते हुए गुजरात पुलिस द्वारा अवैध हिरासत में लिए जाने को लोकतंत्र की हत्या करार देते हुए तत्काल दलित आंदोलन के नेता की रिहाई की मांग की है।
जारी प्रेस विज्ञप्ति में रिहाई मंच प्रवक्ता शाहनवाज आलम ने कहा कि दिल्ली में दलित स्वाभिमान संघर्ष रैली में जिग्नेश मेवाणी के 1 अक्टूबर को रेल रोको के ऐलान से घबराई मोदी सरकार ने मेवाणी को गिरफ्तार करवाकर अपनी दलित विरोधी राजनीति को एक बार फिर से उजागर किया। उन्होंने कहा कि आज जब गुजरात के दलित अपने हक-हुकूक और अधिकार के लिए खड़े होकर मोदी के गुजरात माॅडल का पोस्टमार्टम कर रहे है जिसने संघी ताकतों का मंसूबा ध्वस्त कर दिया है। मंच प्रवक्ता ने कहा कि जिग्नेश की गिरफ्तारी ने साफ किया है कि ‘गाय की पूंछ तुम रखो, हमको हमारी जमीन दो’ के नारे से आक्रोशित दलित चेतना से मोदी सरकार कितनी भयभीत है। यह गिरफ्तारी जहां पूरे देश को आंदोलित करेगी वहीं यह मोदी सरकार की ताबूत में आखिरी कील साबित होगी।
3) Pradeep Sharma's Facebook post- The Dalit Swabhiman Sangharsh Rally saw massive participation of Dalits and toiling masses from across the country. It reaffirmed the commitment to fight caste oppression and RSS brand of cultural nationalism. The Rally also points to the possibility of building broadest Issue-Based Unity on these issues while also retaining differences on certain issues. In the course of the united Struggles the issues of differences should be addressed with continuous engagement and in a genuine manner. That will help build a unity that can resist reactionary forces and achieve historic victories. It is a long drawn Struggle and addressing genuine concerns are part of cementing the unity. (From the wall of Pradeep Sharma, Lecturer of Sociology in Shia College Former SFI leader)