Around 500 University student in Dharavi protesting for justice for Rohith Vemula were beaten up by goons of RSS on a city street. Casteist remarks were made against those shouting jai bhim. A poster with Dr ambedkar’s photo was torn and stamped upon by RSS goons.
The student was gathered to protest against the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad.
The attack happened in presence of several police officers, who seems to be helpless infront of RSS goons.
Though the several protesters sustained injuries, students bravely stood ground and marched towards nearest police station to lodge complain against the RSS attackers.
According to a student, 500 of them had taken out a rally in support of Rohit Vemula under the banner of “Justice for Rohith Joint Action Committee Mumbai.
“As our morcha reached neared Kamgar Nagar Suddenly, RSS activists attacked us with sticks and iron rods,” said a woman protester.
“They threw stones at us from the roof of their shakha and even roughed up some of the women protesters,” said Ramesh Kutty, one of the organisers of the protest.
“Rohit unfair death and the haunting letter he wrote before dying has lit a lamp of protest. The RSS finds itself unable to tolerate that, that is the reason they attacked us”, Ramesh added.
Sources said at least 10 people were thrashed, while three women alleged that they were manhandled. Among those who sustained injuries were two female students from south Mumbai colleges.
Reacting to student complaint Local BJP MLA Tamil Selvan blamed the students, alleging “They stood in front of the shakha and made abusive comments about the Sangh”. “This is why the clash happened. The media supports all anti-RSS formation”, he added.
“People attacked us with stones and bamboos. The police are not ready to file a case under the Atrocities Act.” Brushing off the “minor incident”, DCP Mahesh Patil said the situation was now under control”, said a student.
However no arrests have been made in the matter yet, said a police officer.