Massive tensions erupted in the Parbhani district of Maharashtra on Wednesday, 11th December after a cement replica of the Indian Constitution created near the BR Ambedkar statue in the region was vandalized by one Sopan Pawar, a resident of Murtizapur village in the Parbhani tehsil. The accused who has now been arrested is a claimed lunatic, as informed by the police. After the event of vandalization, the supporters of BR Ambedkar organized protests and demanded a lockdown claiming that the Constitution had been insulted by a Maratha.
Immediately after this, people during the protests began pelting stones at each other giving the gathering a violent turn. Several shops and vehicles in the said region are also believed to have been damaged and vandalized in due course.
As per the police, more than 40 individuals have been arrested for creating and escalating violence in the district. SIG Nanded, Shahaji Umap confirmed the incident and said that several shops, CCTV cameras, and hoardings of the shops were destroyed by the miscreants. He said that some of the police officers were also attacked by the miscreants who pelted stones at the police vehicle. Following this, he said that the police had to resort to a lathi charge to control the situation.
#WATCH | Visuals from central Maharashtra's Parbhani city where violence broke out yesterday over the alleged vandalising of a replica of the Indian Constitution pic.twitter.com/K6flEZngAx
— ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2024
“We have detained about fifty people. The process of registering cases against them has started. The accused of this incident has also been arrested, and a case has been registered against him. He is currently undergoing treatment as the mob has beaten him–he is a lunatic and undergoing treatment; his mental condition is not good. We have also found the documents during the investigation. So I appeal to everyone to maintain peace without giving much importance to this incident, he added.
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi Chief Prakash Ambedkar took cognizance of the event and condemned the violence. He meanwhile attempted to give the castiest angle to the incident. “The vandalization of the Constitution of India at Babasaheb’s statue by casteist Maratha miscreants in Parbhani is absolutely very shameful, to say the least. It is not the first time such a vandalism of Babasaheb’s statue or symbol of Dalit identity has happened. VBA Parbhani District karyakartas were the first to be on the scene and their protests led to the police filing an FIR and arresting one of the miscreants. I request everyone to maintain law and order. If all the miscreants are not arrested within the next 24 hours, consequences will follow,” he said.
The vandalisation of the Constitution of India at Babasaheb’s statue by casteist Maratha miscreants in Parbhani is absolutely very shameful to say the least.
— Prakash Ambedkar (@Prksh_Ambedkar) December 11, 2024
It is not the first time such a vandalism of Babasaheb’s statue or symbol of Dalit identity has happened.
VBA Parbhani…
Meanwhile, the BJP has blamed the Opposition for orchestrating the violence by giving the incident a communal touch. BJP leader Amar Sable said, “This country will run on the Constitution. PM Modi, Amit Shah, and CM Devendra Fadnavis have that goal too. But the opposition, MVA, has set up a narrative against the Constitution, which is why there is unrest in Parbhani now. There has been a mockery of the Constitution, the narrative set by the opposition is one of the reasons for this unrest.”
“The second reason is that whenever Devendra Fadnavis takes oath as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, unrest between communities is promoted [by the Opposition]. We have seen this before too. There is going to be a big event in Bhima Koregaon; this is why unrest is being fuelled by the Opposition. But the people of Maharashtra will reply befittingly,” he said.
The vandalisation of the Constitution of India at Babasaheb’s statue by casteist Maratha miscreants in Parbhani is absolutely very shameful to say the least.
— Prakash Ambedkar (@Prksh_Ambedkar) December 11, 2024
It is not the first time such a vandalism of Babasaheb’s statue or symbol of Dalit identity has happened.
VBA Parbhani…
It is important to note that initially only one person who had vandalized the replica of the Indian constitution was arrested on Wednesday. However, massive violence broke out hours after the incident resulting in 40-50 arrests. The miscreants pelted stones even at the police vehicles and damaged several public properties. Following this, prohibitory orders were issued in the region and the internet was also shut down.
Parbhani, Maharashtra: The public pelted stones at a police van, forcing the police personnel to flee with the van to save their lives pic.twitter.com/Le7BV61zuz
— IANS (@ians_india) December 11, 2024
The supporters of BR Ambedkar, on the other hand, are accusing the police of allegedly covering up the matter by declaring the accused a mental patient. “It’s the job of doctors to check these things and certify them. Why are the police giving this certificate? People were angry with this approach to cover up the matter. Some of them used this unrest to spread violence. We have appealed to people to restore peace in the city,” said Vijay Wakode, vice president of Republican Sena led by Anandraj Ambedkar.
“As our activists caught him and took him to the police station, we think he is not mentally unstable. Someone has sent him to spread the unrest. The police should find out who it is through a narco-analysis test. We also demanded to take him in police custody for interrogation as he has been sent to a civil hospital,” he added.
Meanwhile, Parbhani District Magistrate Raghunath Khandu Gawade has also urged people to maintain peace. “Prima facie, the accused was drunk and also appeared mentally unstable, but doctors in the civil hospital are conducting medical tests. Today, we have issued prohibitory orders and also held a meeting with all organizations to restore peace. Some organizations have demanded conducting a Narco analysis test. Whether it was a conspiracy or not is a part of the investigation,” he said.
