Dalits, General Samaj Manch activists hold rallies in city

Our Correspondent

Phagwara, April 23

Dalits held a protest rally at Ravi Dass Mandir on Monday. Heavy police force, including Rapid Action Force, Anti-Riots Squad and BSF, was deployed at various sensitive places of the town.

Dalits activists did not allow the police in the religious shrine. Meanwhile, several Dalit leaders criticised the administration and held the SP responsible for violent atmosphere on April-13 night. They demanded immediate arrest of the miscreants responsible for firing and violence, cancellation of cases registered against several “innocent” Dalits, compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to those injured in firing and renaming Goal Chowk as “Sambhidhan Chowk.”

The ADC, Babita Kaler, assured them of withdrawal of criminal cases registered against seven Dalits, including Yaswant, alias Bobby, and Kulwinder, who were injured in the firing on April-13 night. Later, Dalit protesters submitted a memorandum to DC Mohammad Tayab.

In a show of strength more than 2,000 activists of the General Samaj Manch assembled in and around Satsang Bhawan in New Mandi on Monday evening. They demanded renaming of the Goal Chowk as “Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk”, withdrawal of cases registered against “peace-loving Hindus and arrest of the miscreants responsible for violence on the night of April 13.