Palghar Lynching: RSS-Backed NGO Blames CPI-M & Others in Report

The NGO, called Vivek Vichar Manch, was reportedly formed during the Bhima Koregaon case by BJP leader Pradeep Rawat

The NGO, called Vivek Vichar Manch, defines themselves as an organisation that is dedicated to address issues of ‘violations of human rights.’ It was reportedly formed during the Bhima Koregaon case by BJP leader and former MP Pradeep Rawat.

(Photo: Screenshots from video)

Demanding a central-government led investigation into the Palghar lynching, a fact-finding report by an a Pune-based NGO backed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was shared with journalists over a zoominar exactly two months after the incident on 16 June.

In an incident that was caught on camera and made headlines, two sanyasis, Chikane Maharaj Kalpavrikshgiri and Shri Sushil Giri Maharaj, and their driver, Nilesh Talgade, were lynched by a mob in Gadchinchale village in District Palghar on 16 April.

(Photo: Screenshot from the zoominar)

The NGO, called Vivek Vichar Manch, defines themselves as an organisation that is dedicated to address issues of ‘violations of human rights.’ It was reportedly formed during the Bhima Koregaon case by BJP leader and former MP Pradeep Rawat.

Amongst other organisations they have named the increasing influence of the CPI-M and Kashtakari Sanghatana for the incident.

The Quint attended this zoominar, reached out to the Maharashtra police as well as the CPM and Kashtakari Sanghatana for their views on the findings of this fact-finding report.

Revelations from the ‘Fact-Finding Report’

Advocate Pravartak Pathak, who was presenting the report, asked, 'How did the tribals become so cruel? and 'Why did they ruthlessly kill these two sadhus wearing saffron clothes?'

The report alleges that the growing violence in the area with the increasing influence of organisations like, CPM and Kashtakari Sanghatana, prima facie suggests to have culminated into the incident.”

1. Report lists 'Anti-Hindu Atmosphere' & Other Factors Leading to Incident

Speaking about the police administration's investigation stating that the mob attacked and killed the three men due to the rumour of the sadhus being thieves or kidnappers the report states that 'this claim of the police administration appears to be incorrect.'

They said that the sarpanch of Karsgaon, Luis Kakad, told them that the same rumours had spread to other villages as well. They added that left-wing organisations in the area were responsible for creating hatred in the minds of the tribals against the government, sanyasis and sadhus.

The report alleged that four factors were behind the incident:
i) Anti-constitutional Activities
ii) Anti-democratic Activities
iii) Anti-development Activities
iv) Anti-Hindu atmosphere

Specifically regarding the alleged anti-Hindu atmosphere, the report alleges that even though there is evidence that adivasis worship Ram, in this area people are told that Ram was not a tribal but Ravan was. This has led to a negative approach towards Hinduism and their practices.

2. Report Calls for Transferring Investigation to NIA/CBI

Pathak alleged that the police, who are currently investigating the case, seem to be the accused in the case themselves. The report reads: All the police officers and police personnel of the Kasa Police station immediately transferred to other police station, and five of them were suspended. This creates doubt as to the role of police machinery.

They go on to say that Maharashtra CM and home minister made claims regarding the crime even before the investigation was complete, which was problematic. They said there were doubts regarding the unbiased investigation by state government.

There last reason is that this was an inter-state issue as it took place at Dadra Nagar Haveli and Maharashtra. Therefore it may take longer for Maharashtra police to search for answers and it will be better than a central government-led agency handled the investigation.

CPI-M and Kashtakari Sanghatana Respond to Allegations

The report reads: The growing violence in the area with the increasing influence of organisations like CPM prima facie suggests to have culminated into the incident.

Reacting to the allegations made on CPI-M, Ashok Dhawale, member of the party’s central committee, told The Quint, "This is an absolute canard. Right when they had made this allegation on 20 April. BJP leaders Sambit Patra and Sunil Deodhar had made these allegations on Twitter and elsewhere. In response to which we had instantly released a statement denying these allegations flatly."

He added that the CPI-M is on its way to file a civil and criminal defamation suit against Deodhar and Patra within the next two weeks.

"We not only deny these allegations but we had also done our investigation in the aftermath of the incident. What we found out that was shocking. The sarpanch of the villlage has been from BJP for the last 10 years. First the BJP tried to give this incident a communal colour, in response to which Maharashtra's home minister released a list of the accused where there was not a single Muslim name. Then they started attacking the state government. In response to which the chief minister made a television address where he said that this incident had happened due rumour-mongering on WhatsApp, rumours about people trying to harvest kidneys and kidnap kids. Then after that they began to attack CPI-M as the sitting MLA from there is from CPI-M. All this is false and wrong."

Brian Lobo from Kashtakari Sanghatana, a mass organisation working in Palghar district on the rights of tribals and organising tribals and other oppressed people, said this was not a fact-finding report to begin with.

"How much of the report is on the incident itself? This is no fact-finding report. This is a report of a right-wing organisation with political agenda to discredit the Left who they are ideologically opposed. They have put disparate assumptions and drawn them together but without drawing any direct link with an incident?" He added that there was no reference to the Kashtakari organisation in the actual incident itself and that all the information was secondary and not even true."

Repeated calls and messages to additional director general of police (ADGP) and CID in-charge Atul Kulkarni went unanswered. The copy will be updated as and when he responds.