Members of Dailt organisations and those associated to the Swaero movement in Telangana tried to gherao BJP state president MP Bandi Sanjay on Wednesday, during his visit to Huzurnagar in Suryapet district. Videos of the incident that surfaced online show several people trying to halt Bandi Sanjay’s convoy while raising slogans, including that of “Jai Bhim”. Chaos ensued when tussles broke out between the protesters and BJP supporters.
Members of Swaero organisations & Dalit groups tried to gherao BJP's Bandi Sanjay in Huzurnagar following his remarks on Swaero orgn' & TSTWREIS Secretary @RSPraveenSwaero. pic.twitter.com/rBSJ9zp5Bf
— CharanTeja (@CharanT16) March 17, 2021
Dalit groups have been staging protests across Telangana against right-wing groups, alleging them of spreading negative information on senior IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar. Swaero is a social movement launched by Praveen Kumar, who is the Secretary of the Telangana Social & Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society, and others. It mainly consists of alumni from the society and is well recognised for its work with marginalised communities.
Video clips of Praveen Kumar speaking at the launch event of ‘Swaero Holy Month’ were recently circulated, alleging that he was propagating anti-Hindu teachings. However, he later clarified that the movement does not teach prejudice against any religion. Several BJP supporters and other right-wing groups demanded action against Praveen Kumar and Swaero members. The groups have been clashing on social media over the past two days.
Bandi Sanjay had accused Praveen Kumar and members of the Swaero organisation of “working against the Hindu religion and humiliating Hindu gods,” while questioning the source of the funds to the organisation.
On Wednesday, Bandi Sanjay was on his way to attend a party meeting on the occasion of the release of BJP activists who clashed with the police over a land dispute in Mathampalli village. The groups that tried to gherao Bandi Sanjay’s convoy demanded that the BJP state president withdraw his controversial statement and apologise.
The ‘Swaero Holy Month’, also called Bheem Deeksha, is a month-long event marked by reading Dr BR Ambedkar’s works and other such activities. This year, the event was launched at the historical Dhulikatta Buddhist Shrine in Telangana’s Peddapalli district, known for its Buddhist heritage. The video clip that was circulated shows hundreds of attendees reciting the ‘Buddha Vandanam’, or the vows taken by Dr BR Ambedkar on the day of his conversion to Buddhism on October 15, 1956, at Nagpur’s Deeksha Bhoomi.