Mumbai: Shri Shivprathishthan Hindustan’s activists and Sambhaji Bhide’s aides have demanded a CBI probe into the attack at Bhima Koregaon on Monday, in which a youth died. The police has also denied permission to Bhide’s lecture in Mumbai scheduled this Sunday.
After the attack, Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar alleged involvement of Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote behind the attack. A case has been registered against the duo in Pune. The followers of Bhide in Mumbai however, refuted the charges. “Allegations on Bhide guruji in connection with the Bhima Koregaon attack were unfortunate as he was in Sangli at that moment. The statement of complainant Anita Salve states that guruji was present in Pune when he was not,” said Chetan Barskar, one of the volunteers of Shivpratishthan.
The followers said that they have postponed the scheduled programme of Bhide considering the tense situation in Maharashtra. “We have postponed the lecture after speaking to the police and we will cooperate with the police and the government in the investigation. Bhide has already demanded a CBI probe into the matter. We hope that the tension will subside in few days,” said Mumbai chief, Balwant Dalvi.
When asked about criminal proceedings against Bhide, the followers kept mum. Bhide was charged after the Miraj communal riots in 2009. “The organisation does not have any political cases against it. We cannot say about individual cases. We just come together for the love of Shivaji Maharaj,” he added.
