School buses will stay off roads in Mumbai on Wednesday in view of a Maharashtra bandh called by Dalit outfits to protest the violent clashes.
The School Bus Owners' Association (SBOA) today said it would not operate its fleet of 40,000 buses.
Anil Garg, president of SBOA, told media, "For security reasons, we have decided not to ply our buses in the first shift tomorrow. If the situation remains peaceful, we will run the buses in the second shift."
However, if a particular bus owner wanted to operate his services tomorrow, it would be his call, he added.
RSS condemns violence:
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) also condemned the incidents of violence at Bhima-Koregaon village in Pune district and other parts of Maharashtra.
Manmohan Vaidya, the akhil bhartiya prachar pramukh of the RSS, in a press statement uploaded on the outfit's Twitter handle, stated, "The recent incidents at Koregaon, Pune and various other places in Maharashtra are very sad and painful.
“RSS strongly condemns such violence and feels it is despicable”.
Communal clashes jolt Pune:
Clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of right-wing Hindu organisations during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district had left a man dead yesterday.
The clashes broke out at Bhima-Koregaon when people were headed towards the war memorial in the village, about 30 km from Pune city, the police had said.
Dalit groups were celebrating the bicentenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, which the forces of the British East India Company had won over those of the Peshwa.
Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community – then considered untouchables - were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins and the victory was seen as a symbol of assertiveness by Dalits.