Date:20/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/20/stories/2008092056031400.htm

National

RPI puts off Khairlanji agitation

Staff Reporter

Mumbai: The Republican Party of India (RPI-Athavale) has decided to put off its proposed State-wide agitation, planned earlier for Friday, against the court verdict in the Khairlanji massacre case.

The party, an ally of the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) combine, will wait for Saturday’s hearing to decide on the course of action.

On Monday, eight persons accused of killing four members of a Dalit family in Khairlanji in 2006, were found guilty by a sessions court in Bhandara.

Three persons were acquitted. The court will announce the quantum of punishment on Saturday. “The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister requested me to stop the agitation. The government is trying to move the High Court after the Bhandara court verdict [sentencing of the eight persons convicted] is out,” said RPI chief Ramdas Athavale.

He said his party’s demands included punishment for the three persons acquitted, chargesheeting 35 persons discharged by the Central Bureau of Investigation and probing the caste angle.

Other parties are also asking for the case to be moved to the Bombay High Court. Jogendra Kavade, national president of the People’s Republican Party, has sought a probe into the aspects of atrocity and outraging the modesty of a woman.

He has sent a letter to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court to take up the case. His party plans to organise a ‘samajik nyay (social justice) yatra’ in October.

Bharatiya Republican Party chief Prakash Ambedkar alleged that the probe into the conspiracy to destroy evidence was stopped after the Bhandara court ruled out that aspect. He plans to request the State government to appeal to the High Court.

On Wednesday, Bhandara witnessed a candlelight march protesting against the acquittal of three persons.