Massive, all-party protest in Beed to demand justice for slain sarpanch

BEED: More than 50,000 people from across the political spectrum marched in protest in Beed on Saturday, demanding the arrest of local strongman Walmik Karad, the alleged mastermind behind the recent murder of a local sarpanch, Santosh Deshmukh. The protestors also demanded that state food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde (NCP) be dismissed for allegedly protecting Karad.

Local activists and politicians, from opposition parties as well as the ruling Mahayuti alliance, participated in the silent march, including Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil; Chhatrapati Sambhaji of the Kolhapur royal family; local BJP MLAs Suresh Dhas and Abhimanyu Pawar; NCP MLA Prakash Solanke; and NCP (SP) MLAs Jitendra Awhad and Sandeep Kshirsagar. They were opposing the “reign of terror” in Beed by a crime syndicate allegedly led by Karad, under Munde’s protection.

The protesters said they would intensify their agitation if Karad and the other absconding accused were not arrested. The march appeared to have undertones of the Maratha protests for reservation that had rocked Marathwada earlier this year, although the leaders who spoke at Saturday’s rally insisted that their anger was not directed against any community in particular. Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, who was murdered on December 9, was a Maratha, while his alleged killers as well as Karad and Munde belong to the OBC community.

Deshmukh was murdered when he intervened in an extortion bid at a local wind power plant. He was allegedly tortured and had his eyes gouged out. Two of the accused have been arrested, while three are absconding. Deshmukh’s family and local politicians are demanding that Karad be arrested. They have also alleged that Munde is protecting Karad, a close associate.

On Saturday, thousands of protestors participated in a silent protest march, which started at a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar in Beed city and ended at the district collector’s office, around 2.5km away. The participants, who included children, women and senior citizens, sported black ribbons as a mark of protest.

Banners were held high with messages demanding justice for Deshmukh and an end to Beed being a “bastion of terror”. Deshmukh’s family, including his daughter Vaibhavi and brother Dhananjay, also participated in the march. Vaibhavi said if criminals were not punished, other families would also suffer such crimes. “My father was brutally killed. He died while helping a person from the Dalit community. This is a fight for justice,” she said.

Beed MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar (NCP-SP) told the crowd that this was a fight against terror, and not against any community in particular. “I am an OBC but still raised my voice against the hooliganism of Karad and his protection by Munde, although both are OBCs,” he said. Kshirsagar also alleged that 70% of Beed district’s development fund was moved to Parli during the last five years. Parli is the hometown of both Munde and Karad, while also being the former’s assembly constituency.

Beed MP Bajarang Sonavane (NCP-SP) said he would launch an agitation if Karad was not arrested by January 2. Jarange-Patil warned that protests would erupt across Maharashtra if the state government failed to act.

Munde’s NCP colleague and local MLA Prakash Solanke and BJP legislator Suresh Dhas also targeted the state minister while speaking at the rally. Dhas alleged that Karad and his men were grabbing land and illegally running a fly ash business from a thermal power plant in Parli, at gunpoint, under Munde’s protection.

“Goli maar bheje mein (shoot in the head) is the language of this area,” said Dhas. “Over 1,200 gun licences were given to Munde’s supporters. The government should order a probe into it and take action against the officers who sanctioned these licences.”

Dharashiv sarpanch files complaint

A sarpanch from Dharashiv district, Namdeo Nikam, has filed a complaint alleging that he was attacked by an unknown person in connection with the same wind power plant issue linked to Deshmukh’s murder. District police have registered a case against four unidentified people.