Struggle on streets will defeat ‘new Peshwas’ BJP, says Jignesh Mevani in Pune

Jignesh Mevani with Radhika Vemula at the event. (Express Photo/Pavan Khengre)

Calling the BJP and the Sangh Parivar the “new Peshwas”, who, he alleged, are dividing people on caste and religion lines and “then passing on the nation’s resources to certain capitalists”, Dalit leader and new Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani on Sunday said the “revolution” to defeat them will not take place in the Assembly but through “sadkon ki ladai (struggle on the streets)”.

Claiming to be “2 per cent politician and 98 per cent agitator”, Mevani said, “We have to defeat them with our agitations on the streets. Elections will take place in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan (next year). No matter who wins, I want the BJP to lose. So be it the people who shout slogans of ‘Jai Bhim’ (Dalits), or those who say ‘Laal Salaam’ (Communists), those who believe in Ram or Allah, or those who are atheists — everyone should take inspiration from the battle of Koregaon Bhima and fight against BJP and RSS.”

“In Gujarat, we reduced them to 99 seats (from 115). We can bring them to double figures in 2019 (Lok Sabha polls), too,” he said.

Mevani was addressing a packed hall at the Elgaar Parishad on the ground of Shaniwarwada, which was the headquarters of Peshwas, who were defeated by a much smaller British Army, mainly of soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community, in the Battle of Bhima Koregaon in present-day Pune district, on January 1, 1818.