Mumbai, Dec 23 (NationPress) In a shocking political revelation, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, alleged on Monday that a Dalit individual was ‘murdered by police’ and that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had ‘lied’ in the assembly regarding the situation.

Accompanied by prominent party figures, Rahul Gandhi visited the residence of Somnath Vyankat Suryawanshi, 35, who was discovered dead in judicial custody on December 15, just 72 hours after being arrested in connection with the unrest following the desecration of a statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in the area.

After offering his condolences to the family, a somber Rahul Gandhi remarked that the grieving Suryawanshi had shown him the post-mortem report and videos of the incidents, as well as outlining the series of events that occurred thereafter.

“It is 100 percent a murder. The police have beaten him... The police have killed him in custody. He was targeted because he was a Dalit and was striving to defend the Constitution. He was beaten and ultimately finished off,” said Rahul Gandhi firmly.

He did not hold back in his accusations against Fadnavis, asserting that the “CM has misled the Assembly” to communicate a “message to the police.”

“It is the RSS ideology to eliminate the Constitution. The (MahaYuti) government and its ideology are responsible for Suryawanshi’s demise. The CM and those who assaulted him (the Dalit individual) are accountable for all of this,” declared Rahul Gandhi unwaveringly.

When questioned by the press about whether he was politicizing the situation with his visit and comments, the Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition denied the accusation, despite criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party leaders regarding his statements.

“There’s no politics involved here. This is a matter of justice. A murder has taken place. This is a question of ideology. We demand immediate action and insist that those responsible must face consequences,” Rahul Gandhi insisted.

In line with this, Maharashtra Congress President Nana F. Patole announced that the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) would soon file a breach of privilege motion against the CM for misleading the House about Suryawanshi’s death. “The CM claimed that he (Suryawanshi) suffered from breathing issues and passed away. Previously, the police stated he had complained of chest pains. The autopsy report (dated December 16) cited ‘shock following multiple injuries’ as the cause of death,” emphasized Patole.

In response, a defiant Fadnavis dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s comments as ‘political’ and reiterated that the MahaYuti government has already launched two investigations into the incident, promising that justice would be served with severe penalties for those responsible.

Earlier, dressed in a dark blue tee-shirt symbolizing the Dalit cause, Rahul Gandhi visited the Suryawanshi residence barefoot, bowed, and paid tribute to a portrait of Somnath, a law student, before entering to greet the family with a ‘Namaste’ this afternoon.

He sat on the floor next to the grieving family members from the Wadar community. They recounted the events leading to Somnath Suryawanshi’s death in judicial custody and presented him with various documents.

Rahul Gandhi listened attentively, nodded several times, offered condolences, and pledged to advocate for justice for the deceased individual.

Later, he proceeded to visit another Dalit social worker, Vijay Wakode, who had suffered a heart attack while attempting to manage the rampaging mobs on December 11-12.

Rahul Gandhi was joined by key leaders such as AICC’s Ramesh Chennithala, state President Nana Patole, MPs Dr. Shivaji Kalge, Ravindra V. Chavan, Dr. Kalyan Kale, MLAs Vijay Wadettiwar, Amit Deshmukh, senior leaders like Vijay Balasaheb Thorat, President of State SC Department Siddharth Hattiambire, Nana Gawande, Atul Londhe, among others.

Suryawanshi was apprehended in connection with the violent incidents that followed the desecration of a statue of Dr. Ambedkar near Parbhani Railway Station on December 10, allegedly by a ‘mentally disturbed’ individual named Sopan Pawar.

Following the sacrilege, a violent and tense shutdown occurred in Parbhani, leading local police to detain or arrest around 300 individuals, primarily Dalits, including Suryawanshi on December 12.

Just 72 hours later, Suryawanshi was found dead in judicial custody, igniting widespread outrage as the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and INDIA bloc allies raised the issue across multiple platforms.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmi@gmail.com )