Mah violence: Ahir hits back at Rahul, says know reality before commenting

In response to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's scathing attack on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over caste violence gripping Maharashtra, Union Minister Hansraj Ahir on Wednesday said people should know the ground situation before making any statement.

"People should know the ground situation before making statements. People should appeal all to maintain peace there," the Minister of State for Home Affairs told ANI.

In the wake of Bhima-Koregaon violence, Gandhi mounted an attack on BJP and RSS on Tuesday, holding them responsible for suppressing the Dalit community.

"A central pillar of the RSS/BJP's fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," Gandhi tweeted.

Ahir, who represents Maharashtra's Chandrapur constituency, also said a judicial probe into the incident has been ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Violence spilled over to adjoining parts of the state after clashes broke out between the Dalits and alleged right-wing groups on Monday during the bicentenary celebration of the Bhima-Koregaon battle near Pune.

The right-wing groups were objecting to the observance of 'Victory Day' since they considered it to be an anti-national celebration.

In the battle, which was fought between the British East India Company, containing Dalits in its infantry, and the Peshwas, who were upper-caste Brahmins, at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, the Marathas ultimately withdrew. Since then the lower-caste communities have been viewing it as a symbolic victory for themselves.