Athawale-led RPI to hold protest over atrocities against

Republican Party of India (RPI-A) President Ramdas Athawale today said his party will on July 27 hold an agitation against the "increasing" atrocities faced by Dalits.
"The increasing cases of Dalit atrocities in Maharashtra, a state that follows the ideologies of social reformers like Mahatma Phule and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, is shocking... It's high time the government intervenes to curb such atrocities," Athawale told reporters here today.
The RPI leader claimed that, in India, 27 Dalits are oppressed and three women from the community raped everyday. Eleven Dalits are attacked by people from other communities everyday and every week, 13 Dalits are murdered, he further said. Every week, houses of five Dalits are burnt and six from the community get kidnapped, he added.

Pointing to alleged atrocities against Dalits at Sonai, Kharda, Khairlanji and Shirdi in Maharashtra, the Rajya Sabha MP said the Atrocities Act needs to be implemented in a stringent manner to stop such crimes.
He also demanded fast-track courts and special police officers to handle atrocity cases against Dalits and said they should be allowed to carry licensed weapons for self-defence.
Athawale also alleged that the state government has failed to curb atrocities against Dalits despite coming to power on their support.
"Dalits should get what they deserve. Hence, we will take out a morcha at Azad Maidan to bring this to the notice of the government," he said.