Published On : Sun, Jul 28th, 2013
Latest News | By Nagpur Today Nagpur News

Joint Action Committee, AAP bring Vidarbha Statehood issue alive, hit streets for justice

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Dozens of leaders, hundreds of activists resort to “Rasta Roko” at RBI Square where they were staging a “Dharna” protest. The leaders and activists court arrest. However, all the leaders and activists were released in the evening.

Nagpur News: A lull before the storm and calm before the storm of a sort was witnessed when the “went into oblivion” slogans “Vegala Vidarbha Jhalach Pahije” (Separate Vidarbha must be carved out), “Alag Vidarbha Hona Chahiye”, “We want Vidarbha State,””We want justice” rent the airs of Nagpur again. The separate Vidarbha issue came alive again with a bang after lying in cold storage for the past few years.

The Vidarbha Joint Action Committee brought the Separate Vidarbha alive and kicking when the activists of the Joint Action Committee hit the streets and staged “Dharna” protest at Samvidhan Chowk (RBI Square). The Sunday peace at the otherwise hustled-bustled RBI Square was shattered by the deafening slogan shouting and “Rasta Roko” agitation. The “Rasta Roko” agitation affected the normal road traffic for hours. Dozens of leaders and activists courted arrest. However, all the leaders and activists were released in the evening.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came out in support of the agitation for Vidarbha Statehood. Hundreds of AAP workers joined the Vidarbha Joint Action Committee “Dharna” protest. The AAP Organiser Devendra Wankhede, while addressing the protesting workers of the party said, “The AAP is strong supporter of smaller states, and through decentralization of power for establishment of “Swaraj” and bringing political revolution, the party is marching ahead towards achieving the goal. The AAP’s strong support to the cause of Separate Vidarbha is a positive part of the mission.”

Wankhede declared that, “the AAP leaders and workers would wholeheartedly and actively  support the movement against injustice and discrimination. The AAP would leave no stone unturned to hand over power to common people. This is our mission. The successive Governments of Congress-NCP, BJP-Shiv Sena at both State and at Centre unleashed torture and discrimination against the people of Vidarbha. The backlog would never end unless the power is in the hands of common people. The AAP leaders and activists should gear up for hard struggle to achieve the mission of handing over power to common people,” the party Organiser Wankhede said.

The leaders of both Vidarbha Joint Action Committee and the AAP present at the “Dharna” protests include Ahmed Kader, Organiser of Vidarbha Joint Action Committee, Deepak Nilawar, Ram Newale, Probir Chakraborti, former Additional Director General of Police, Ajay Sungi, Upendra Shende, ex-MLA, Anil Pande, General Secretary of City Congress Youth, Nandatai Parate, leader of Bunkar Samaj and others belonging to Vidarbha Joint Action Committee.

The AAP leaders and activists who participated in the “Dharna” protest for the cause of Separate Vidarbha include, Secretary Rajesh Pugliya, Laxman Pote, Manish Bhardwaj, Anil Chaudhary, Ajinkya Kamble, Sonu Fating, Suraj Lakhe, Anjan Chatterjee, Dheeraj Agase and others. All these leaders and activists resorted to court arrest. However, they, too, were released in evening.

The AAP Secretary Rajesh Pugliya informed about the future course of action. The AAP teams leave for Delhi on August 4 for actively participating in the “Dharna” protest at to be stage at Jantar Mantar on August 5. The “Dharna” protest could also be participated by National Convener of AAP Arvind Kejriwal, National Executive Committee member Mayank Gandhi and Kolhapur MP Raju Shetty.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Kader, Organiser of Vidarbha Joint Action Committee said, a Vidarbha Bandh Call will be given after the AAP leaders return to Nagpur after the protest in Delhi on August 5.