Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit Maharashtra’s Parbhani city on Monday and meet the families of two people killed in the violence there earlier this month. However, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has termed Gandhi’s visit as a “gimmick”.
Violence broke out on the evening of December 10 after a replica of the Constitution near the statue of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was damaged outside the railway station of Parbhani city in the Marathwada region.
According to the schedule shared by Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Gandhi will meet the families of Ambedkarite Somnath Suryavanshi and Vijay Wakode. Suryavanshi died in police custody and Wakode died while participating in the protests.
Allegations have been made that Suryavanshi was murdered in police custody. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently told the state assembly that Suryavanshi had told the magistrate that she was not tortured and the CCTV footage also showed no evidence of cruelty.
Fadnavis has already announced a judicial inquiry into the Parbhani violence. State BJP chief and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule termed Rahul Gandhi’s visit as a “gimmick”. He told reporters, “Instead of doing such gimmicks, the focus should be on how society can be benefited in constructive ways.” BJP and the state government are committed to keeping the society and all communities united.