AAP holds 'Jaab Vichar' in Jalna, demands inquiry into murder of Dalit youth

18 March, 2013

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has demanded an inquiry into the alleged involvement of Ankush Rao Tope, father of NCP MLA Rajesh Tope in the death of a Dalit youth earlier this year. The party held a 'Jaab Vichar' demonstration at the Collector's office from 11.30am to 4 pm on 17th March, demanding that an FIR be registered immediately in the matter at the earliest, followed by an independent inquiry into the murder.

Anjali Damania of the AAP has received warnings that she and AAP should not support the Dalits in Jalna. It is said that Jalna is the fiefdom of Ankush Tope. AAP does not heed such threats and “will go ahead with the protest”. “We are saddened to hear that all political parties in Jalna have stayed quiet on the issue as they have been paid and/or threatened to keep out of the matter,” an AAP spokesperson said.

On 9January 2013, Vilas Nikalje, a Dalit youth breathed his last in an Aurangabad hospital, far from his village and community for whom he had been fighting for years together. The Dalit community in Kharpudi village, Jalna District had been asking the government for a 2-acre plot from the “gayran” land for a Buddha Vihar since 1994.

Instead, 30 acres were granted to Matsyodari Shiksan Sanstha group in 2003-04, to start a military school. This Sanstha is run by the family of Rajesh Tope, NCP MLA from Jalna, and Minister of Higher Education. Headed by his father Ankush Tope, Matsyodari Shiksan Sanstha runs 21 private schools and colleges in Jalna. Government of Maharashtra has given this trust over 130 acres of public land to run their private education business.

Nikalje continued his fight for the plot for the Buddha Vihar. They tried to bribe him, and when that failed, he was threatened and attacked six times but he did not give up his fight. On the fateful day in January this year he went for a meeting with Ankush Tope at his residence and was allegedly forced to have tea during the otherwise fruitless discussions.

As soon as he left the premises, he started vomiting and was admitted to the government hospital. The treatment given allegedly was very casual and it was said that they did not have doctors competent enough to treat poisoning cases. Yet he was not transferred to Aurangabad hospital. He died at the Jalna Hospital and immediately after his death the police and administration swung into action. His body was sent to Aurangabad for post mortem late in the evening. In the dead of the night his funeral rites were performed by the police in the presence of handful family members who were allegedly warned not to alert family and friends.

It is a sad state of the nation that no one has the courage to stand up for the last man; politicians are all powerful and build their empires on the blood and toil of the poorest.