No bigger conspiracy than calling those fighting fascism

There cannot be a bigger conspiracy than calling those fighting against "fascist policies" conspirators, Leftist poet and writer Varavara Rao, under house arrest in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case, said today, lashing out at the Centre and Maharashtra government.

He said the case for Koregaon-Bhima clashes between Dalits and upper caste Marathas should have been filed against the central and Maharashtra governments and not human rights activists.

"This is a false case. If the fight against fascist policies is called a conspiracy, then there cannot be a bigger conspiracy than this (calling the fight a conspiracy)," Rao, who was brought here by Maharashtra police in the morning on the order of the Supreme Court, told reporters at the airport.

The Supreme Court had yesterday pulled up Maharashtra police over the arrest of five prominent human rights activists for their alleged Maoist links and ordered that they will not be lodged in jail but kept under house arrest till September 6.

"They (the Supreme Court) have ordered house arrest. As we have been saying, this is a false case against us. Bhima-Koregaon case should have been filed against the state and central governments," he said.

According to Rao's wife Hemalatha, he was flown here from Pune at 7 in the morning and barring his close relatives nobody was being allowed to meet him.

Rao's counsel said Telangana police was not permitting even his lawyers to meet him.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) Viswa Prasad said Hyderabad police was enforcing the apex court's order of house arrest.

Prasad said since the poet-activist was under house arrest, he was not allowed to come out of confinement or make public appearances.

He said only his wife and children, if they are living with him in the same house, will be allowed in.

The city police has made elaborate security arrangements around Rao's apartment building.

Apart from Rao, human rights activists Vernon Gonzalves, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha were arrested from different states on Tuesday for their alleged links to Naxalites.

In a blow to the Maharashtra police, the apex court had yesterday questioned its decision of arresting the activists nine months after the violence between Dalits and upper caste Marathas in Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune following 'Elgar Parishad', a conclave of Dalits, on December 31 last year.

Provocative speeches allegedly made at the conclave had triggered the violence which soon spread to several districts of Maharashtra, leaving a trail of destruction.