Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has alleged that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis lied on the floor of the house about the death of 35-year-old Dalit activist Somnath Suryavanshi in police (judicial) custody in Parbhani, during the winter session of the state Assembly held in Nagpur, after the issue was raised by Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad.
Gandhi made the allegation after he reached Parbhani on Monday and met Vijayabai Suryavanshi, the mother of the Dalit activist who died in police (judicial) custody recently, following violence which broke out in Parbhani on December 10, after a replica of the Constitution of India in the hands of a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar, encased in a glass case, was allegedly desecrated.
“I have just met the family of Somnath Suryavanshi. The family of Somnath Suryavanshi showed me the autopsy report. They also showed me some photos and videos. Somnath Suryavanshi died in custody. The police killed Somnath Suryavanshi. However, while informing about this incident, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis lied in the Maharashtra Assembly. Somnath Suryavanshi was killed because he was a Dalit. Somnath Suryavanshi was protecting the Constitution. The ideology of RSS is that of ending the Constitution. We demand that action should be taken against those who are guilty in this incident and they should be punished. There is no politics in this incident. Justice must be done,” Rahul Gandhi said in Parbhani on Monday.
“My son’s (Somnath Suryavanshi’s) bones were broken and he was killed. My son was beaten and his life was taken. I was informed five days after my son died. I was not told anything. The police did not call me when my son was alive. I was told — Somnath is your son, he has died, take his body. We told Rahul Gandhi what they told me. My son’s killers should be given the death penalty. We told Rahul Gandhi everything that has happened so far. How can the Chief Minister say that Somnath Suryavanshi died of a heart attack.” Vijayabai Suryavanshi said, after speaking to Rahul Gandhi on Monday.
Incidentally, Rahul Gandhi is the second political leader to question the circumstances which led to the death of the Dalit activist Somnath Suryavanshi.
Earlier on Saturday, on the sixth and final day of the state assembly’s winter session, Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad had expressed serious doubts about Somnath’s death, citing the postmortem report which stated that he died of shock due to multiple injuries in police custody. “The truth should have come out but it has not been revealed in the answer given by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. How did Somnath Suryavanshi from Parbhani die? I read his postmortem report. There were many injuries on his body. Where did those injuries come from? He suffered a concussion due to a broken bone. Who will answer for this? Are we changing the postmortem report to save the criminals,” Awhad had asked during the Maharashtra Assembly’s winter session.
Significantly, Fadnavis has ordered a judicial probe into the Parbhani violence. It may be recalled that CM had stated in the assembly recently that Suryavanshi had told a magistrate that he was not tortured and that the CCTV footage did not show any evidence of police brutality. Suryavanshi, who resided in Shankar Nagar, in Parbhani, was among the 300 people, mostly Dalits, who were detained or arrested by the police on December 12, after the violence which broke out in Parbhani. He died on December 15 at a state-run hospital where he was rushed after he complained about chest pain while he was in judicial custody, at the Parbhani district central prison, according to the police.
On Friday, Fadnavis had announced Rs 10 lakh assistance to the family of Suryavanshi in the Assembly, but his mother had refused to accept the assistance and said, “I do not accept the Chief Minister’s words. My son was beaten and killed. I want justice for this. I do not believe in the promises of the minister. I do not want Rs 10 lakh. Keep that Rs 10 lakh in the minister’s pocket or feed some policeman. I want my son”.
“The Chief Minister lied. He misled the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Therefore, on behalf of the Congress, we will move a privilege motion against the Chief Minister. After today’s meeting, Rahul Gandhi will also present his position in the Lok Sabha and expose the BJP government. The manner in which the BJP is targeting backward classes, Buddhists and minorities is visible. The Congress will raise these issues in a democratic manner,State Congress President Nana Patole said.