Mevani cites relief to Patidar agitators to demand withdrawal of cases against OBCs Dalits Muslims

Gandhinagar, Mar 12 (PTI) Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani said in the Gujarat assembly on Wednesday that the state should consider withdrawing cases against tribals, OBCs (Other Backward Classes), Dalits and Muslims just like it dropped cases against Patidar agitators.


    Speaking about the budgetary allocations for the Social Justice and Empowerment Department, the opposition MLA welcomed the government’s move to withdraw cases against Patidars and suggested that the same treatment should be extended to other communities.

    The BJP government had said last month that it would withdraw nine cases filed in connection with the Patidar quota agitation of 2015, which had rocked the state.

    Soon after the announcement, a sessions court in Ahmedabad allowed the Gujarat government’s plea to withdraw sedition cases against Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Hardik Patel and four others related to the Patidar stir.

Mevani said the Dalit agitators who had participated in protests that broke out after the 2016 Una flogging incident should also be spared.

    A group of purported cow vigilantes had allegedly assaulted four Dalits for skinning a cow carcass in the Gir Somnath district on July 11, 2016, triggering a huge nationwide outrage.

    The government should not hold any prejudice against anyone, said the Congress lawmaker.

    “I welcome the state government's decision to withdraw cases against Patidar agitators. However, at the same time, why have the cases registered against Dalits after the Una flogging incident not been withdrawn,” asked Mevani.

    He said the state government had promised to withdraw these cases after the death of Dalit activist Bhanubhai Vankar in February 2018. Vankar died days after he set himself afire inside the Patan Collector's office compound over an issue related to landless labourers.

    “You have not withdrawn cases lodged against Maldharis, an OBC community, for their fight against the declaration of Mandal-Becharaji Special Investment Region. Similarly, cases against tribals, who fought for the PESA Act – Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act – have not been withdrawn,” he claimed.

    “How is it justified that you withdraw cases of one community but don’t give the same relief to SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities? Cases against Muslims, who were booked during the Anti-CAA protest in Gujarat, should also be withdrawn,” said Mevani.

    Aam Aadmi Party MLA Umesh Makwana raised a similar demand saying cases registered against people from Koli and Thakor communities, two prominent OBC communities, should be withdrawn.

    In his address, Mevani also highlighted alleged illegal encroachment on land allotted to Dalits and tribals in the past by the government.

    “Land reforms are a must to break the caste system. Past Congress governments had allotted nearly 1.5 lakh acres of land to Dalits, OBCs and tribals for their uplift. But, unfortunately, the BJP government has not given any land after 2008,” he said.

    Moreover, “high-handed” people have encroached upon land owned by Dalits" claimed Mevani, urging the government to clear the encroachment.

    Mevani demanded that physical possession of the land be handed over to the original owners and FIRs be registered against encroachers.

    He further demanded the creation of designated courts in all districts to hear cases registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)