Arresting Teltumbde was to silence Dalit voices
In the arrest case of Dalit thinker Anand Teltumbde, state and central government have been rapped on the knuckles really good. The police forcibly arrested Teltumbde on the wee hours last week. They arrested him and produced him before the court.
But the Court called this arrest ‘illegal’ and contempt of court, ordering for his immediate release. Teltumbde has been given immunity for four weeks from arrest. The court also said his arrest can be ordered only by Bombay High Court or Supreme Court after his bail application was cancelled. The issue of why the state hurried over his arrest by the police, while grossly misinterpreting the court rule, is worth pondering over now.
Anand Teltumbde has worked in various sectors. He was an engineer by profession and worked in prestigious positions in many private sector companies in both India and abroad. He is also known for his work in education sector, and as an activist for human rights.
His writings around the time when barbaric attack on dalits happened in Khairlanji ensured the issue got international focus. He is working relentlessly to spread Ambedkar’s thoughts and messages across the country as part of his commitment to preserve the country’s constitution. He is a public person, and not the one who would work underground or clandestinely over anything.
Today, the police are not interested in catching those who are spreading communal wildfire, lynching persons and creating chaos in the society. At the same time, the police are in great hurry to put a rational thinker, who has not committed a single crime, behind bars. What is the reason for this? What would the country gain if Teltumbde is called an ‘urban naxal’ and jailed?
Arresting him would be part of a bigger scheme of silencing voices that speak the language of dissidence in the society. This in real sense would be a loss to democracy. Hence the police wants to hold him captive so that the operation to shut the mouths of democratic voices can begin full force. If there was not an immense political pressure, his arrest wasn’t so inevitable despite the court order.
This Dalit Vijayotsava is not a new event that’s happening in Koregaon. This day marks the victory of 500 Mahar Dalits against casteist Peshwas. That day the Peshwa rule ended forever. Ambedkar set the practice of Koregaon Vijay Diwas. If all those who gather to celebrate Koregaon Vijay Diwas, the very first person as per the police department to earn this title would be Ambedkar. The police have always been against Koregaon Divas.
Sangh Parivar created a situation where a planned ruckus would break out at the time of celebration. Sangh leaders desecrated the burial site of Mahar Dalit which was right next to Sambhaji’s cemetery.
Their intention was to instigate the Dalits. Dalit leaders and followers held their composure. The police even have a video of the entire duration of speeches made at the event. It should have had records of instigative speeches if any were made. There’s nothing as such.
How does then one become responsible for the violence at the event or after that? At the same time, there are witnesses to prove Sangh Parivar attacked the Dalits. Yet, none of the main accused have been arrested.
Even those who were arrested have been released without delay and it is important to note that all of them have criminal backgrounds. But the police are blind to such truths and are targeting social activists time and again.
Teltumbde had not even participated in this programme and yet was targeted. So the motive is pretty clear here. Koregaon Vijayotsava is the main problem for the police and the state. Now the Peshwa bloodline is ruling the state of Maharashtra. This Vijayotsava is an indirect rap to them.
But the government has no power to stop the celebrations. If that’s done, the Dalits would rise against the government. And the Dalit leaders cannot be arrested directly. As a result, the organisers were called ‘Urban Naxals’ and allegations were made against them that they had plotted to kill the PM. Subsequent to that, their arrest was arranged for.
State hopes to finish all Dalit leaders who participate in Koregaon Vijay Diwas by way of arresting them one after another. They are trying to hold this shield of Urban Naxals and attacking the Dalits at the very root of their self respect.
Teltumbde may have escaped an arrest right now. But the police wont spare him for too long. This is the first attack on silencing the dalits. If the dalits do not come together to protest against this they won’t be able to save their own lives in the future.
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