Ahead of polls, Congress, NCP draw flak over Dabholkar murder case

Both the parties fear opposition will make 'unsolved murder' a poll plank

The Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government in Maharashtra faces flak as the the rationalist Narendra Dabholkar's assailants are still at large even after his first death anniversary today.

State government sources admit that the police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have yet to get major leads.

Dabholkar, a campaigner against superstition and black magic, through his Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ANS), was shot dead near the VRS Bridge near Junglee Maharaj Road in the city when he was taking a morning walk on August 20, 2013.

Dabholkar's wife Shaila and son Hamid have criticised the government for not arresting the killers and the slow pace of investigation.

A large number of Dabholkar's supporters gather across the state to mark his first death anniversary with a resolve to continue their movement against superstition.

The Congress and the NCP fear they will be further targeted by opposition and non-government organisations on this issue in the run-up to the assembly poll slated for October.

"It is a shame the government has failed to nab his killers even a year after his murder. We shall launch protests against the state government throughout Maharashtra in Dabholkar's memory," Hamid told Business Standard.

He informed that the protests will continue in all districts over the next one year to create awareness against superstition and black magic.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had said that it was a pre-planned attack against Dabholkar and announced a prize of Rs 10 lakh on any information on Dabholkar's murder. Subsequently, the police formed 19 teams to crack the case. They arrested two suspects but were released for want of evidence.

It must be mentioned here that after wide protests and criticism, the state government on August 21, 2013 approved the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Bill 2013, and commonly known as the Anti-Superstition Bill, Black Magic Bill, Anti-Jaadu Tona Bill or Jadu Tona Andhshradha Virodhi Bill.

On August 24 last year, the state Governor K Sankaranarayanan signed the ordinance which remained in effect until December last year when the bill was finally passed by the state legislature.