Situation still remained tense in the Rampur district with the condition of three of the Dalit agitators, who are on indefinite fast for the last couple of days reportedly turned serious. The agitating members of the Valmiki community now also refused to take medicines from the doctors who attended on them at the disputed spot on Wednesday morning. The agitators had already made a appeal to the President to give them permission for self-immolation as after demolition of their locality, they would left with nothing except to die.
Interestingly, Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Azam Khan, who is reportedly in the above controversy for taking the local administration to task for not executing the demolition order, had finally tried to come out clean from the dispute on Wednesday. He reportedly told some media persons that his name was unnecessary drag into the above controversy and that he has nothing to do with the demolition.
Reports said that while strong police force remained on high alert to ensure that the trouble at Valmiki Colony in Topkhana area of Rampur did not took any communal flare-up, a team of doctors attended on the agitating family members of the Dalits who were now on fast for the last three days. Reports said that out of the above agitating Dalits, the doctors found the condition of three of them to be critical so they advised them to take medicines. However, they refused to listen to the doctors advise and continued with their fast.
It may be mentioned that the families also reportedly took symbolic Islam, after the administration prevented any Imam to reach the site to make formal conversion as announced by the members of Valmiki community. Interestingly, the administration had tightened the security arrangments and had detained many leaders of the Bharatiya Janta Party including Sadhwi Prachi, who tried to reach to the spot to join the agitation by the Dalit community on Tuesday evening. Sources said that the presence of Bajrang Dal and and Vishwa Hindu Parishad at the place of the agitation has made the situation more tense in the city and local administration is facing tough time to maintain law and order. Sources said that some activists of the Hindu organizations would soon join the agitators as they reportedly see political mileage out of it.
It may be mentioned that on Tuesday, Valmiki Basti Bachao Sangharsh Samiti president Avinash Tapan said that they have sent a memorandum to the President and Supreme Court through District Magistrate seeking permission for mass self immolation. The hapless residents felt that the UP government was more concern towards welfare of the Muslim so they would also spare demolition of their unauthorised colony if they convert to Islam, just like the hamlet adjacent to their locality, has been kept untouched though the residents there are too living illegally. The residents also hope some mercy’ from powerful cabinet minister Azam Khan, after their conversion to Muslims. Several companies of RAF and PAC have been deployed to avert any untoward situation.