Dabholkar's son slams Maharashtra govt over attack on Pansare

Son of slain rationalist thinker Narendra Dabholkar today slammed the Maharashtra government over the attack on Govind Pansare, saying that the attackers would not have dared to strike at the CPI leader if the state police had taken exemplary actions in his father's case.

Hamid Dabolkar is in the national capital to meet the chief of CBI, which has been investigating the Dabholkar's murder case over the last nine months. Dabholkar was shot dead by unknown assailants in Pune on August 20, 2013.

"Had the police taken a stern action and nabbed the attackers of Dr Narendra Dabholkar, then probably it would have set an example. The psyche that claimed the life of Dabholkar is also behind the attack on comrade Govind Pansare. Even nine months after taking up the case, the CBI is yet to make any arrest in the case. The CBI officers in Mumbai are not able to make any headway in the case," Hamid said.

Pansare, a CPI leader, was shot at by unidentified assailants in Kolhapur in western Maharashtra yesterday. He is battling for his life along with his wife, who has also been injured in the attack.

Hamid said Andha Shradha Nirmoolan Samiti (ANIS), which was formed by his father, would hold 12 street plays in Delhi tracing the journey of rationalist thinkers from Socrates and Bhakti saint Tukaram to Dabholkar.