Parbhani: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday claimed Somnath Suryavanshi was killed because he was a Dalit and was protecting the Constitution in the wake of the desecration of its replica in Maharashtra’s Parbhani.
Police killed Suryavanshi, and it was a ‘’cent per cent custodial death”, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged after meeting Suryavanshi’s family members in Parbhani.
Talking to reporters, Gandhi said he met Suryavanshi’s family members who showed him the post-mortem report as well as some photographs and videos.
Parbhani witnessed violence after a glass-enclosed replica of the Constitution near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue outside the railway station in the city, located in Marathwada region, was vandalised on the evening of December 10.
Suryavanshi (35), a resident of Shankar Nagar in Parbhani, was among more than 50 persons arrested in connection with the violence.
He died on December 15 at a state-run hospital where he was rushed after complaining of chest pain and uneasiness while he was in judicial custody and lodged at the Parbhani district central prison, as per the police.
After meeting Suryavanshi’s family, Gandhi claimed: ‘’The youth was killed because he was a Dalit and was protecting the Constitution. This is a cent per cent custodial death. The police have murdered him. The CM lied in the Assembly to give a message to the police. The RSS ideology is to wipe out the Constitution,” the Congress leader charged.
Gandhi demanded that the matter be resolved and those who killed the man be punished.
“This is not politics, there has been a murder and action has to be taken,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said Rahul’s visit was “only for political reasons” and to “create hatred”.
Speaking to reporters in Pune on the sidelines of an event, Fadnavis said: “Rahul Gandhi came only for political reasons. His job is to create hatred among people. We are investigating all the cases. The matter is in court.” “If it is proved that the death occurred due to police assault, then no one will be spared,” Fadnavis, who holds the home
portfolio, added.