New Delhi, Jan 2 (IANS) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday slammed the BJP and the RSS, saying their "fascist vision is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society" and added that the incident in Bhima-Koregaon (Maharashtra) is an indicator of resistance.
"A central pillar of the RSS-BJP's fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," said Gandhi in Twitter.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced a probe by a Bombay High Court judge into the Pune riots which left one person dead and announced that the family of a young man killed in the violence would get Rs 1 million.
Fadnavis's move came after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar blamed the Maharashtra administration for lapses leading to Monday's riots and appealed for peace.
The disturbances erupted in Koregaon-Bhima village on January 1 during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War between the army of Peshwa Bajirao II and a small force of East India Company in which a large number of Dalits were involved.
Hundreds of thousands of Dalits had congregated around the Victory Pillar (Vijay Stambh) erected by the British in Sanaswadi village when suddenly stone-pelting started, allegedly by some rightwing groups carrying saffron flags.
In the clashes that ensued between the two groups, more than 30 vehicles, including buses, police vans and private vehicles, were torched or damaged.
The police fired teargas shells to control the mobs and prohibitory orders were imposed in the entire Pune district.
The violence led to the death of Rahul Fatangale, 28, of Nanded.
