Journalism of Courage
Protesting for the release of Dalit outfit Bhim Army’s founder Chandrashekhar Azad, Jignesh Mevani on Tuesday organised ‘Yuva Hunkar’ rally at the Parliament Street, New Delhi. Azad was arrested last year in connection with the Thakur-Dalit clashes in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
Apart from the demand to release Dalit outfit Bhim Army’s founder Chandrashekhar Azad, the rally also focused on issues like educational rights, employment, livelihood and gender justice. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
In the rally, Mevani slammed the BJP saying the party's marginal victory in Gujarat has irked the saffron party. He said, "Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani crushed BJP’s target of 150 seats in Gujarat and that is why I am being targeted." (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
Jignesh Mevani was joined by Shehla Rashid, Kanhaiya, Prashant Bhushan , Umar Khalid, Akhil Gogoi at the rally. Apart from the demand to release Chandrashekhar, all of them in their own way had complaints against the BJP government. (Express Photo/Abhinav Saha)
Even after the police said no to the rally, many supporters turned up with posters bearing Azad's image to participate in the protest. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
Keeping the rally in mind and to ensure that there's no violence during the protest, the area on Tuesday was heavily guarded by armed forces. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
They are afraid of Chandrashekhar, not because he’s a threat to the country. But to those who want to convert this to a Hindu Rashtra. There’s no space for Dalits in the Hindu Rashtra that they envision, said JNU student Umar Khalid (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
We are not against any religion or any community, we are here for the Constitution. We don’t have crowds, I agree. But we have real, living breathing people, said former JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
Jignesh Mevani and Prashant Bhushan at the rally (Express Photo/Abhinav Saha)
