Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan was shot at by unidentified assailants in the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. As the reports suggest, two bullets were fired at him when he was traveling in the Toyota Fortuner car with other four members. He suffered an injury when one of the bullets grazed him. Azad was rushed to a local hospital for treatment.

Azad gave a statement to the police while he was in hospital for treatment. Azad said, he did not recognise the assailants clearly, but his people identified them. He further added, their car went towards Saharanpur and took a U-Turn. There were five members present in the car, including Chandrashekhar Azad’s younger brother when the incident occurred.

Saharanpur SSP Vipin Tada said that the Ambedkarite activist’s convoy was shot at by a few car-borne armed men. The officer added, 30 minutes back, the convoy of Chandrashekhar Azad was fired at by a few car-borne armed men. A bullet brushed past him. He has been taken to CHC for medical treatment with minor injuries. Police have initiated their investigation into the matter.

Several supporters of Azad gathered outside the emergency ward of the hospital where he was admitted. They came to see him and prayed for a speedy recovery. Azad has been a voice of the Dalit community and always raised his voice against the atrocities of Dalits in India. This incident shocked many of his supporters.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav condemned the attack on Azad and compared the law and order situation in the state with the jungleraj.

Bhim Army page shared the pictures of Azad’s injury and his damaged vehicles on social media. Bhim Army issued a statement on Azad’s attack and said the deadly attack on Bhim Army chief and National President Chandrashekhar Azad in Deoband of Saharanpur has shown a cowardly act of stopping the Bahujan Mission Movement. They demanded strict action against the assailants and quick arrest of the accused involved in the case. They asked to increase the security of Chief Azad.

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Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Choudhary and the Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan have been placed under house arrest by Rajasthan Police at Udaipur airport.

The Police arrested the two leaders at the airport when they were going to meet the family of a Dalit youth, who was killed in Pali on March 15 for keeping moustache. The police have also arrested Bharatpur MLA Subhash Garg.   

The police have kept them in the guest house claiming that the leader’s visit may deteriorate the law and order situation in the area because Section 144 is in force in Pali district of Rajasthan.

Jitendrapal Meghwal, a Covid health assistant working in a government hospital in Pali district of Rajasthan, was killed with a knife in public for keeping moustaches.

After the shocking incident, the Meghwal family along with their relatives blocked the dead body and demanded justice. Later, when there was a ruckus and demonstration, the police arrested both the accused.

Once when Jitendra Meghwal was sitting outside his house, there was a dispute with the accused about making eye contact. After that, a case was registered against the accused. The accused were getting angry about this matter. Meghwal comes from a Dalit family background while Rajpurohit, the killer, belongs to the upper class.

Meghwal, a Dalit resident of Barva village of Pali district, had kept moustache after getting a job. He was stabbed to death by two miscreants who allegedly could not tolerate his moustache and his good lifestyle after getting the govt job.

The killers had travelled 800 km to kill Meghwal on the afternoon of March 15. The accused fled from the spot after the incident. Following outrage by the Meghwal community over the murder, the police were arrested the two accused from Pachpadra.

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Today is the 91st death anniversary of our legendary freedom fighter, Chandra Shekhar Azad. He was born on 23rd July, 1906 in Bhavra village in the princely state of Alirajpur to Pandit Sitaram Tiwari and Jagran Devi.

He died at Alfred Park in Allahabad on February 27, 1931, when he was defending himself and Sukhdev Raj. At that time, Sukhdev Raj escaped, but Chandra Shekhar Azad didn’t. He shot himself with his last bullet while holding true to his pledge of getting caught alive by enemies.

He was a close associate of Bhagat Singh. He became popular after he became part of the KaKori train robbery on 9 August 1925. He had transformed HRA into the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association(HSRA) in 1928. Also, he had assassinated the assistant superintendent of police, John Saunders.

Here we are sharing some of his inspirational quotes to remember him on his death anniversary.

If your blood does not rage, it is water that flows in your vein.

I believe in a religion that propagates freedom, equality, and brotherhood.

Don’t see others doing better than you, beat your own records every day because success is a fight between you and yourself.

A plane is always safe on the ground, but it is not made for that. Always take some meaningful risks in life to achieve great heights.

Aisi jawaani kisi kaam ki nahi jo apni matrbhoomi ke kaam na aa sake.

If someone is not devoted to the nation then his life is a waste.Mera naam Azad mere pita ka naam swadheen aur mera ghar jail hain.

Mera naam Azad mere pita ka naam swadheen aur mera ghar jail hain.

Will face the bullets of the enemies, we are free and will remain free.

Maine aise dharam ko maanta hoo jo swatantra, samaanta aur bhaichara sikhaata hain.

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There are just a few days left in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the election updates are becoming interesting with each passing day. In a recent update, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad decided to contest the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh elections from Gorakhpur from which Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is going to contest the election.

This time, it is going to be Bhim Army’s Chandrashekhar Azad vs Yogi Adityanath from Gorakhpur seat. The announcement was made by Azad Samaj Party on Thursday. This announcement came a few days after BJP said that CM Yogi will contest from Gorakhpur.

In a tweet, Azad Samaj Party said that the National President of Azad Samaj Party Kashiram, Chandra Shekhar Azad ji will contest the assembly elections from Gorakhpur Sadar (322). With this tweet, the party also shared a letter.

Gorakhpur is the hometown of Yogi Adityanath and he had been the MP from Lok Sabha’s seat since 1988 till the time he became chief minister in 2017. CM Yogi Adityanath will be the second leader to contest from Gorakhpur as a Chief Minister after Tribhuvan Singh, who lost in 1971.

Meanwhile, Chandrashekhar Azad said that he would contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, he chose to backtrack and now he is fielding against Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath.

Last year, Azad said that it is not important for him to win a place in the UP assembly. It is important for him that Yogi Adityanath should not get to be in the assembly. So he will contest wherever he is contesting.

In other news, the Union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri paid a visit to the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project site on Monday, just days before the Republic Day parade at Rajpath. Despite recent unprecedented rainfall and the Omicron epidemic, he claimed construction is proceeding on schedule.

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Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and the outfit’s Delhi unit chief Himanshu Balmiki were detained by Uttar Pradesh police near Aligarh in the early hours of Wednesday when they were enroute  to Hathras district. They were with the family of the 19-year-old Dalit gangrape victim, who died on Tuesday in Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital. Azad’s associates said on Wednesday that their leaders had been detained but the police denied any such detention.

On Tuesday, workers of Chandrashekhar’s Azad Samaj Party and Bhim Army had joined the protest outside Safdarjung Hospital to demand justice for the gangrape victim and her family. After a day, the body of the gangrape victim was forcibly cremated by the Uttar Pradesh Police in the early hours of September 30 in Boolgarhi village of Hathras district, against the wishes of her family.

Ravindra Bhati, a core committee member of Azad Samaj Party, said there is no clue about the two leaders’ location after reaching Jewar toll plaza to get on the lane to Tappal, Aligarh. He alleged the two were detained during the intervening night on Tuesday and Wednesday but police were not making it public.

Around 12.30 pm on Wednesday, dozens of Azad Samaj Party and Bhim Army activists reached the Tappal police station in Aligarh and demonstrated outside the police station. Bhati told the protesters that their representatives will meet senior police officials to inquire about Azad and Balmiki.

Read Also: Hathras gangrape victim’s family says UP cops cremated her in a hurry

When the protesters contacted a senior Aligarh police official, he replied that he had no idea of any detention. The district police chief and some other senior officials could not be contacted as they have been under home isolation after contracting coronavirus.

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The police arrested the Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad early today, in connection with the violence in Old Delhi’s Daryaganj. He was protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Azad had managed to escape multiple times from the police yesterday. He sneaked into Jama Masjid, around 1.30 pm yesterday, and the police had to wait outside the mosque for Azad for several hours. The drama continued till 3.15 am today, when the Bhim Army chief finally came out.

“My name is Chandra Shekhar Azad. Police cannot hold me captive. I wore a cap and a shawl and entered the Masjid easily,” Azad said.

He alleged that the policemen dressed as civilians were instigating violence in order to fail the protests.

“Those who are indulging in violence are not our people. Our peaceful protest continues at the historic Jama Masjid. Ambedkarites do not indulge in violence,” he added.

Protests against the Citizenship Act in Delhi turned violent yesterday. Vehicles were damaged and the police used water cannon to disperse the protesters.

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However, if the BJP government had hoped to reach out to him and Scheduled Castes with this gesture, it was in for a disappointment: Chandrashekhar Azad alias ‘Ravan’, speaking to journalists after his release, announced his intention to work for uprooting the Narendra Modi government at the Centre in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Azad alias Ravan was charged under the draconian National Security Act in connection with the Saharanpur caste violence case and jailed in June 2017. News18, citing sources, reported that that Uttar Pradesh government has decided to release the Dalit leader as “BJP’s move to reach out to the community ahead of 2019 elections”.

The state government on Thursday revoked the NSA charges against Chandrashekhar alias Ravan and ordered his early release after considering a representation submitted by his mother.

The Bhim army chief received a heroic welcome outside the jail by his cadre members, who had gathered in huge numbers since Thursday night.

“I would like to urge all the Dalits to fight for their rights, no matter if they have to take to streets. Dalits should be ready to take what is given to them in the Constitution. I will continue to urge people to uproot this dictator BJP government,” Chandrashekhar said.

Speaking out against the BJP, the ruling party both at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh, Azad said, “Voting for the BJP is jeopardising your future generations. Now I have come back, I will appeal to everyone in the country that they should not vote for BJP in 2019 under any circumstance.”

“They did not allow me to be treated when I was unwell in jail. They did not allow me to meet my family. Was not given proper food. They committed atrocities against us in jail. Whatever they did to us, we will return to them with interest in 2019,” Azad added.

He would back Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, who is set to be part of the joint opposition front against BJP in Lok Sabha elections. He said that he has no differences with Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati whatsoever and she is more like ‘Bua’ (aunt) to him. Azad said that she had been ‘fighting for the rights of the Dalits’.

The Bhim Army chief said he will not allow communal forces to come to power. “I will not allow communal forces to come to power once again. There is still time, there will be alliances. We will see what happens. But, the BJP will not be allowed to come to power.”

He said the government released him only because it was “scared” of being “rebuked by the Supreme Court” and may soon frame some charges against him.

“Government was so scared that they are going to be rebuked by the Supreme Court, that they ordered an early release to save themselves,” news agency ANI quoted ‘Ravan’ as saying.

“The fight has just begun against the people who have misused the government machinery. The protest of April 2 was non-violent, but how did 11 people die? The BJP is like a double-mouthed snake. They can’t be trusted. Everybody is facing atrocities barring capitalists,” he said, while speaking to media outside the Saharanpur Jail.

The Bhim Army will organise once more and hit the streets to protest against atrocities on Dalits, Azad said. “We will protest against the detention of Dalits for the April 2 violence. We want these cases to be withdrawn. We will not step back. Even if we are put behind bars again. Even if they book us under NSA again.”

Commenting on his own political future, “Chandrashekhar will not contest the elections,” he said referring to himself in the third person.

According to reports, the NSA was withdrawn before time on ‘sympathy grounds’, citing the application by his mother.

However, political experts see it as BJP’s attempt to reach out to Dalits, especially as it comes just weeks after the saffron party faced Dalit ire for Supreme Court’s alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act.

The BJP has made a concerted attempt to chip away at caste combinations that are held as key voter base of opposition Congress, Samajwadi Party and particularly the Bahujan Samaj Party after losing the bypoll in Kairana to the joint opposition candidate Tabassum Hasan.

The Bhim Army chief had also announced his support for Hasan. She had won by around 44,000 votes, in a major jolt to the BJP.

Chandrashekhar was arrested, along with two others, in connection with the clashes in Saharanpur in May 2017, when a Dalit group had objected to a procession of Thakurs in Shabbirpur to mark the birth anniversary of Rajput king Maharana Pratap. One person was killed in the violence and over 15 injured.

He was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court in November 2017 before the government detained him under the NSA.

Azad filed a petition before the Allahabad High Court earlier this year, asking for the detention order to be quashed. In May, the high court dismissed his petition, finding no illegality in the detention order.

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Bhim Army’s Nawab Tanwar says Mayawati’s visit is a political ploy on seeing the Bhim Army’s success in Saharanpur

Rajesh Sinha

Violence returned to Saharanpur on Tuesday, with members of the two communities – Thakurs and Jatavs – clashing after the visit of Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati in Chandpur.

The cycle of violence has not come to a standstill in Saharanpur. But it has flowered in Dalit assertion. Led by the Bhim Army in this part of Uttar Pradesh, it is finding resonance in other parts, notably in Gujarat which had seen Dalit mobilisation after cow vigilantes flogged six Dalits in Una for skinning dead cows.

The upsurge, that has followed the rise of Hindutva politics in the country and in the state and is, at least, partly in reaction to it, is also an indication of how disconnected BJP’s rivals – even that party of the Dalits, the Mayawati-led BSP – are with society and the issues faced by different sections comprising it.

Floundering for ways to counter the BJP, they missed the stirrings in Dalit society. Small wonder, then, that those engaged in this ‘uprising’ assert they are not with any political party, have no political affiliations. But Delhi did colour Blue on Sunday. Barring a few websites and newspapers, the nation’s media chose to not cover it. That is now turning into a groundswell, the gathering at Jantar Mantar that has scared the powers that-be and their media.

Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar ‘Ravan’ has been unavailable for questions. APNLive spoke to Nawab Satpal Tanwar, one of his key lieutenants, on Tuesday when Mayawati was headed for Saharanpur.

Asked if the Bhim Army supported Mayawati or wanted her support, he started by asserting that Bhim Army is a social organisation and it has no relation or affiliation whatsoever with any political organisation.

“If Behen ji (Mayawati) is going there, we do not oppose BSP and we are not against her. We are against parties that propagate communalism and spread communal hatred. But I would like to say this – that this incident (of Rajput attack on Dalits) is now one month old. After we demonstrated our strength at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi with a crowd of ‘several lakhs’, without anyone’s help, Behen Mayawati realised our power and decided to go to Saharanpur. Her visit is meant only to serve her own interests,” he said.

Tanwar said the fight would not end here or stay confined to Saharanpur. He regretted that the government had deployed anti-terrorist squads and the special task force in Saharanpur. “They are treating us like terrorists and equating us with Naxalites,” he rued. He said the next plan was for a rally at Ram Lila Maidan in Delhi. He said as the main organiser of Bhim Army’s campaigns, he was in touch with Gujarat Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani. They plan to organise another rally and tie up with Dalits in other parts of the country to make it a larger movement, said Tanwar.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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