Mumbai mourns Narendra Dabholkar's death

The brutal assassination of activist Dr Narendra Dabholkar (63) has been condemned throughout the city. After receiving the news of his killing, close to 300 protesters,  including theatre and television artistes, gathered outside Shivaji Mandir at Dadar to mourn his death.

Of the numerous crusades that Dr Dabholkar pioneered and led, he had started a campaign against Jat Panchayats, which work on the similar lines of Khaps and ostracize couples who marry outside their caste. His colleagues recounted that Dhabolkar was threatened on phone on many occasions during the last few months for raising his voice against the Jat Panchayats. 

“We had been protesting time and again against the orthodox people who ostracize couples married outside of their own castes. Dr Dabholkar was vociferous on honour killings in the state,” said Sanjay Dhicholkar, member of Maharashtra Andhshraddha Nirmoolan Samiti. “Radical Hindu fundamentalists belonging to Sanatan Sanskruti and Hindu Janjagruti Manch had threatened Dr Dabholkar and warned him to refrain from conducting sabhas,” said Madhukar Kamble, national president of Akhil Bharatiya Andhshraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ABANS). “He received threats from Hindu fundamentalists who told him that they will not spare him.” Actor Sonali Kulkarni, who was associated with social activities undertaken by Dr Dabholkar for 15 years, expressed shock and grief. “I had met him last week during a meeting to discuss the edition of Sadhana Weekly of which he was editor. His death has come as a jolt but will not deter us from taking his legacy forward.”