Lakhs Of Dalit Arrested

Several lakhs of dalits and their allies participated in the agitiation on Sept. 6, the opening day of the Maharashtra State legislature, demanding renaming of the Marathwada University after Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. According to the suppressed police figures, over 10,000 courted arrest in Bombay alone as they marched in pro- cession to the legislature hall in Bombay. In other parts, police used violence to force dalits out of train and buses bound for Bombay. The earlier plan that 5 lakh dalits must come to Bombay was thus foiled by the police who resorted to indiscriminate arrests in different parts of the State. Sholapur saw the worst police violence on dalits who were dragged out of the trains & beaten up. Even women with babes in arms were not spared. Times of India reported that over 20.000 dalits left Aurangabad city to participate in the Bombay agitation. The first-day agitation is thus considered a big success to Dalit Panthers who will continue this agitation without break. Meanwhile. RSS and their sympathisers in the Marathwada area have started counter-agitation opposing the change of name of the university. Violence on dalits has begun.