'Naxal link' searches were intended to protect Bhide: Ambedkar

Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar today alleged that yesterday's searches conducted by police at offices and residences of activists and organisations in Maharashtra for "naxal links" were actually intended to "protect" Pune caste clash accused and Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide, with an aim to "destroy" evidence against him.

Ambedkar also alleged that a man claiming to be an RSS representative was present in the search carried out in suburban Govandi in Mumbai.

Bhide, who heads Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, is one of the two prime accused booked on charge of instigating violence against Dalits during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district in January this year. One person had died during the caste clashes.

Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote, who has been arrested, is another accused in the case.

"We have enough evidence with us against Sambhaji Bhide. The police, during yesterday's raids, seized electronic gadgets like laptops and mobile phones that contained detailed list of documents against Bhide and his followers and how they instigated the violence in Koregaon-Bhima," Ambedkar told reporters in a press conference.

"We fear that the police on the instructions of the state government may erase the contents of those gadgets to ensure safety of Bhide," said Ambedkar who heads dalit outfit Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh.

He said dalits would lay a siege to the state legislature building in south Mumbai if Bhide is not arrested before the beginning of the monsoon session.

The Maharashtra Police yesterday conducted searches at the offices and residences of supporters of organisations such as Kabir Kala Manch and Republican Panther on suspicion of their alleged connection with Naxal activities in urban areas.

The police had questioned some supporters and Dalit activists and examined laptops, hard disks, mobile phones etc. of the activists to find out their "mode of communication".

Police had also searched the residence of a lawyer in Nagpur connection with "provocative speeches" allegedly delivered by him at the "Elgaar Parishad" organised in Pune to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle.

Highly-placed sources had yesterday said that Central agencies conducted the searches not only in Maharashtra but also in Delhi.

However, Ambedkar denied involvement of any national agency in the searches.

"The searches were initiated on a complaint filed at Vishrambaug police station in Pune after the Elgar Parishad was held on December 31 last year, whereas the Koregaon Bhima violence took place on January 1. The searches had nothing to do with any national investigating agency. I have not heard of any such searches being carried out in other states," said Ambedkar, grandson of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar.

He demanded that documents seized by the police during the searches be placed before courts so that their contents would become available to the common people as well.

Ambedkar also refuted Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' claim that the searches were conducted on a suspicion of alleged association of certain institutions with Naxal activities in urban areas.

"I will not call him (Fadnavis) a liar, but he is misleading the urban people," the dalit leader said.

Ambedkar also alleged that a person named Krishna, claiming to be an RSS representative, was present in one of the searches carried out in suburban Govandi.

"He (Krishna) was giving out instructions to the police officials when the search was on. What business he got there? How come police allowed him to be there and received instructions from him?..We want answers," he said.

Harshali Potdar, a close aide of Ambedkar, whose house was searched by police in Govandi, questionned the "delay" in police action.

"The search operation started at 6 am and it continued till 1 pm. The police carried out the search operation on a complaint filed by one Tushar Damugade in Pune's Vishrambaug police station on January 8, when the Elgar Parishad and Koregao Bhima violence were already over. What were police doing for so many days?" she questionned.

Ambedkar said the use of phrases like "urban Maoists or urban naxalites" is another attempt to divert the attention of people living in cities from real issues.

"It is also a plan to discourage and frustrate Dalit activists by linking them with naxal movements," he said.

Ambedkar claimed that previous state government (Congress-led UPA) had ordered a senior police officer to probe the so-called naxal connection with dalit movements.

"The officer, Vishwas Nangare Patil, in his report had clearly stated that there were no such links. As the report is uncomfortable for the state being run by the right wing party, the Maharashtra government rejected it. The report has been accepted at the DIG-level but rejected by the state administration," he claimed.