Dalit protests claim first victim, huge rally held

The ongoing agitation by dalits in Gujarat claimed its first victim from the community when one of the over 20 youth who had attempted suicide died on Sunday even as thousands of protesters converged at a rally here where the state’s BJP government came under attack.

The state dalit leaders while asking their community to give up the work of disposing dead cattle to “send a message” to the government also warned that if atrocities on the community does not stop, they will “show their strength” in the Assembly polls in Gujarat due in 2017.

Yogesh Hirabhai Solanki, 25, was rushed to Ahmedabad civil hospital at midnight on Saturday from Rajkot after his condition deteriorated but he passed away soon after, the police said.

Solanki had attempted suicide along with two others at Parabari village in Dhoraji taluka of Rajkot on July 19 during the statewide protests against thrashing of dalits in Una for skinning a dead dow on July 11.

A policeman was killed in Amreli town on July 19 when dalit protesters pelted stones at a police station. As part of their continuing protests over the assault on their community members, thousands of dalits attended a mass gathering organised in Sabarmati area.

At the rally, dalit leaders also demanded firm steps to curb atrocities on the community.

The leaders also announced a plan to organise a foot march from here to Una town in Gir-Somnath district, where four dalits were brutally thrashed by cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow, from August 5 as a mark of protest against the July 11 incident which caused an outrage.

Addressing the gathering, dalit leader and convener Jignesh Mevani put forward a slew of demands before the state government and asked his community to take a pledge to stay away from their traditional work of disposing the dead cattle.

“To give a strong message to the government, i urge all dalits to discontinue the work of disposing dead animals. I also want you to take a pledge of discontinuing the work of cleaning sewer lines. We no longer wish to do this work and want the government to allot agriculture land to us, so that we can live a respectable life,” said Mevani.