Will repeat Bhima-Koregaon if needed, warns Bhim Army chief recalling 'sacrifice' of Rohith Vemula

New Delhi: Dalit leader Chandrashekhar Azad 'Ravan' of the Bhim Army during a rally at Jantar Mantar warned of repeating “Bhima-Koregaon” if the Constitution of the country is threatened. While addressing the Bahujan Samaj Rally in Delhi, Azad asked the people to remember the “sacrifice of Rohith Vemula” and keep in mind that the nature of oppression never changes. 

A Dalit PhD scholar in the University of Hyderabad, Vemula committed suicide after he was suspended by the University in August 2015. He was also accused in an assault case on an Akhil Bharatatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) worker. The suspension which was later revoked came after a complaint by the ABVP worker to the University. Vemula’s fellowship of Rs 25,000 was suspended for raising “issues under the banner of the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA)”

“Vote dene se pehle

Rohith ki shahadat yaad rakhna, UNA Kand yaad hai? Shabbirpur yaad hai? Phagwara kand yaad hai? Kisney goli chalai? Kisney mara hamarey logo ko? Atyachari, atyachari hota hai, vo kabhi tumhara hiteshi nahi ho sakta...Isliye maine kaha Bhima-Koregaon dohra denge, abhi uski zarurat nahi ai hai, jis din desh ke samvidhan pe aanch ai, Bhima-Koregaon dohra denge (Remember the sacrifice of Rohith before voting. Do you remember UNA scandal? Fo you remember Shabbirpur? Do you remember Phagwara? Who pulled the trigger? Who killed our people? The oppressors will never take your side. These oppressors will never take your side. That’s why I say, we will repeat Bhima-Koregaon, if anybody threatens the constitution. Although, it is not yet needed but if the time comes, we will not hesitate to repeat it.) 

Azad’s statement comes just two days after he was detained in UP’s Deoband over alleged violation of Model Code of Conduct on Tuesday. He was later hospitalised in Meerut after taking ill. Congress Secretary General of UP East Priyanka Gandhi met him at the Meerut hospital and later said the government is trying to suppress his voice.