“I will not take my husband’s body till all accused are arrested”, she had proclaimed, her voice deep with determination. A day later, Minaxiben Maheshwari led the funeral procession for her husband Dalit Lawer Devji Maheshwari. He was killed on September 25, just hours after he shared a social media link to a video that commented on “Brahmins do not have a judicious character?’. https://www.facebook.com/
He was a senior activist of the All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF), and respected Dalit rights activist. Minaxi was hurled into the spotlight after his murder, but has shown what strenght she posses, as it was her protest, and refusal to accept her husbands body till all accused were arrested.
यह है गुजरात के रापर तहसील में हत्या का शिकार बने बामसेफ के एडवोकेट साथी देवजी महेश्वरी की पत्नी का वीडियो। कल से वह आंदोलन पे बैठे है – यह मांग के साथ कि जब तक उनके पति के कातिलों कि गिरफ्तारी नहीं होती तब तक वह अन्न – जल को हाथ नहीं लगायेंगी। @vijayrupanibjp संवेदनशीलता दिखाइए। pic.twitter.com/hQgLDZALli
— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) September 26, 2020
A day after she sat on dharna, the last of the accused were arrested, and Devji Maheshwari, was given an emotional final salute by thousands of Dalit, Bahujan citizens in person, and thousands more must have seen and participated online. Minaxiben Maheshwari, shouldered the coffin that held her husband’s body, and walked to a waiting ambulance, as cries of “Jai Bhim’ and ‘Devjibhai amar rare’ rent the air. The coffin was draped with the Buddhist flag.
All the culprits were arrested. Meenakshi Ben has accepted the remains of her late husband, Devjibhai Maheshwari and is performing last rites as I tweet.
Jai Bhim! ?✊? pic.twitter.com/wA0BSgQq5o— Hritik #DalitLivesMatter (@Rittikated) September 29, 2020
Earlier in the day, many Dalit-Bahujan feminists began a solidarity campain and condemned the casteist murder of Maheshwari. They extended “support and solidarity” to Minaxiben in her fight for Justice of her late husband Veljibhai Maheshwari. They stated that they recognised the threat that Minaxiben now faces from Brahmanical forces in her struggle and have demanded that the authorities ensure her safety, “We demand that the Chief Minister of Gujarat orders a free and fair probe in this case.”
The statement added that now “Kutch is witnessing a wave of protests” against the Devji’s murder and that his wife has “become a beacon of resistance in this struggle to get justice”.
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