Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at his Sagar bungalow on Saturday.
Ambedkar's visit comes in the wake of recent developments in the Beed and Parbhani cases. He presented several demands to the Chief Minister. Ambedkar requested an increase in the compensation for the family of Somnath Suryavanshi, who allegedly died in judicial custody. He proposed a compensation of ₹1 crore for the family and also asked for employment for one family member.
Somnath was detained after violence triggered in Parbhani district on December 11 following the desecration of a Constitution replica on December 10. He was one among 50 persons that Parbhani police arrested between December 11 and December 12.
VBA chief also urged the government to conduct a survey to list victims of police brutality and provide adequate compensation. Ambedkar also asked for the Maharashtra State Police to monitor and prevent violence ahead of the Bhima-Koregaon anniversary on January 1. Another major demand was to scrap the direct benefit transfer (DBT) system for Adivasi students and restore the previous system. Ambedkar further wrote said that Fadnavis had agreed to his demand for a survey on police brutality victims and compensation.
The meeting comes at a time when the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders are voicing criticism over recent cases in Beed and Parbhani, which have heightened political tensions in the state.