Protest march in Patna against attack on Dalits in Bhima-Koregaon

Hundreds of people on Saturday staged protest in Bihar capital Patna against the attack on Dalits in Bhima-Koregaon in Maharashtra.

The protestors alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Maharashtra government and the central government have been trying to protect two accused Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote.

Senior Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Uday Narayan Choudhary, a Dalit leader, has also joined the protest march. JD-U is an ally of BJP.

Choudhary is a well known Dalit leader and former Speaker of state assembly.

The protest march was organised under the banner of Loktantrik Jan Pahal, a civil society body.

People from all walk of life including activists, intellectuals, theatre personality, journalists, women activists and others have joined the protest March.

They shouted slogans against Hinduvta forces behind the attack and violence against Dalits and demanded action against them.

"Instead of taking action against Hinduvta forces, Maharashtra government has filed a fake FIR against Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and student leader Umar Khalid. RSS and BJP have been playing politics in the name of Ambedkar," Kanchan Gala of Loktantrik Jan Pahal said.

She said in the coming days, Loktantrik Jan Pahal would organise similar protest across Bihar.

--IANS

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