'They have realised that class war is not possible in India, so they are trying to bring about a caste war.'
'After Father Stan Swamy's death one thing has become very clear, that if you fight for justice in India you will be called a Maoist by the State.'
The prosecution, while opposing the bail applications, had argued that they have "corrborative evidence" against the accused to prove their involvement in Maoist activities, such as mobilising cadres, recruiting students from eminent institutes and sending them to the interior to become "professional revolutionaries", raise funds and procure weapons.
The apex court also rejected the plea to appoint a Special Investigation Team for probe.
'I was under the illusion that this could never happen to me because my background was such -- corporate CEO, IIT professor, IIT alumnus, IIM...'
The former BJP corporator was named by a villager in a police complaint made three days before the January 1, 2018 violence at Bhima Koregaon. Yet, the police did not include his name in the FIR.
'I also stopped speaking to the media because I felt used by them.'
He took up the causes of tribals marginalised after their lands has been taken over for dams, mines and townships, often without their consent.
Recently, the Bombay high court had set aside the lower court's order allowing extension of time to police to file its probe report against the rights activists in the violence case.
'I cannot conceive of any reason than my unsparing criticism of government policies that the government picked me to send a message to many who dare to take it on.'
The top court also expunged adverse remarks of the Delhi high court against the National Investigation Agency made in its May 27 order while dealing with the bail plea.
He says there was tension in the area even prior to January 1.
Varavara Rao reached home in Hyderabad on Thursday morning, while activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, were sent to Mumbai by road.
The top court directed the Maharashtra government to place before it the material which was collected during the investigation against Navlakha and placed before the high court in a sealed cover.
The Union home ministry has received a factual report from the Maharashtra government on the prevailing situation in the state in the wake of caste-based violence there, a ministry spokesperson said.
'We told the victims this was the only opportunity for them to get their story recorded.' 'If they did not recount their version the other side would concoct their own theory about what happened at Bhima-Koregaon.'
The police were aware of the bandh since the gram panchayats had informed them about it. Yet, they did nothing to prevent it.
If the Bhima Koregaon commission is terminated before completing its work, the people affected by the violence 'would feel cheated'.
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