He was killed as he was Dalit: Rahul Gandhi on Somnath Suryavanshi who died in judicial custody after Parbhani violence

Mumbai: In a strong statement, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that Somnath Suryawanshi was killed because he was a Dalit and protecting the Constitution. Rahul also hit out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Hitting out at the RSS, Rahul said that its ideology is to wipe out the Constitution.

Asked as to who is responsible for the Parbhani incident, he said, "Ideology (of RSS and BJP) is responsible...the Chief Minister has given false information regarding the case on the Legislative Assembly." He also said that the Congress intends to move breach of privilege motions against Fadnavis.

Rahul Gandhi visited Parbhani and met the family of Suryawanshi (35), who was a law student and died in judicial custody.

Suryawanshi was arrested after the violence in Parbhani following the desecration of a symbolic copy of Constitution placed below the statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.

After visiting the Suryawanshi's family, he also met the family of Ambedkarite activist Vijay Wakode, who had died of heart attack.

"Suryawanshi is a young man from Parbhani and was defender of the Constitution. He was murdered because he was a Dalit. His death occurred in custody. Strict punishment should be meted out to those responsible for his killing," Rahul told reporters. "It is a 100 per cent murder. The police have beaten him," he said.

Fadnavis slams Rahul Gandhi

Reacting to the statement of Rahul Gandhi, Fadnavis said that the Congress leader is in Parbhani to do politics. "He was here for political purpose...he had been doing so...he has done it again," Fadnavis told reporters in Pune.

"We have ordered a probe into the incident...the probe report will come out...if any lapses are found, no one whosoever would be spared," he said.

Fadnavis confirmed that NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar spoke to him over the Parbhani and Beed incidents.