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The Worli riots refers to the violence that broke out between the members of Dalit Panther, Shiv Sena and police starting in January 1974 in Mumbai. An early death in the conflict was of a Dalit Panther leader, Bhagwat Jadhav, when a grinding stone was thrown at a morcha of Dalit Panthers in January 1974.[1][2] Violence continued over the subsequent months leading to more loss of life and damage to property.
Background and violence
A mid-term bye-election for the central Mumbai parliamentary constituency comprising Worli, Naigaum and other related areas was scheduled for 13 January, 1974. The main parties contesting for the seat were the Congress Party, the Communist Party of India and the Jana Sangh. The Congress candidate gained the support of Shiv Sena while the Dalit Panthers called for a boycott of the elections to draw attention of the government and people to the conditions of Dalits in the country. A sizeable population of Neo-Buddhists living in the Bombay Development Department (B.D.D.) chawls supported the Dalit Panthers. The Congress Party in Worli heavily depended on scheduled caste votes at that time and feared losing the election due to this boycott.
The high tension culminated in mob-rioting on the occasion of a public meeting called by the Dalit Panthers. Group violence continued for several months with clashes between upper caste Hindus and Neo-Buddhists resulting in the loss of six human lives and widespread damage to property affecting more than half the population of the chawls. Police opened fire 19 times. [3]
Inquiry
The Maharashtra Government ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter. Justice S. B. Bhasme's Commission of Inquiry into the violence, which had continued into April 1974, described the riots as a conflict between "caste Hindus and neo-Buddhists" and attributed much of the severity of the conflict to the physical proximity of Hindu and Buddhist chawls which facilitated stone throwing. Much evidence was also presented to the commission regarding partisan police behavior against Dalits, with some witnesses describing a "police riot". [4][5]
References
- ^ "Tooth And Claw". Outlook India. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ^ http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-13/nashik/31336719_1_dalit-leaders-jogendra-kawade-rpi
- ^ R N Sharma; C A K Yesudian (January 1983). "Group Violence in a Neighbourhood - A Case Study of Worli BDD Chawls in Bombay". Indian Journal of Social Work. 43 (4): 420–421. Retrieved 2017-09-22.
- ^ Anupama Rao (2009). The Caste Question: Dalits and the Politics of Modern India. University of California Press. pp. 199–203. ISBN 9780520257610.
- ^ S. B. Basme (1976). Report of the Commission of Inquiry on the Worli and Naigaum B.D.D. Chawls Disturbances. Bombay: Government Central Press. OCLC 6377078.
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