Jonah Patel
In August 2018, a 40-year-old man named Deepak Gaur was arrested by Delhi Police for burning a copy of the Indian Constitution during a protest march at Parliament Street. Gaur, a resident of Ballabhgarh in Haryana, was the leader of the Arakshan Virodhi Party, one of two organisations that held a joint protest. The other organisation was the Youth Equality Foundation (also known as Azad Sena), headed by Abhishek Shukla. Gaur and Shukla conspired to burn the constitution to get the government's attention against the amendments in the SC/ST Act.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 9th August 2018 |
| Location | Parliament Street, Delhi |
| Protestors | Youth Equality Foundation (Azad Sena) and Arakshan Virodhi Party |
| Leader of Azad Sena | Abhishek Shukla |
| Leader of Arakshan Virodhi Party | Deepak Gaur |
| Accused | Deepak Gaur |
| Age of accused | 40 years old |
| Residence of accused | Ballabhgarh in Haryana |
| Reason for burning | To get the government's attention against the amendments in the SC/ST Act |
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What You'll Learn
Who is Deepak Gaur?
Deepak Gaur was a 40-year-old resident of Ballabhgarh in Haryana, India, who was arrested in Delhi in 2018 for burning a copy of the Indian Constitution during a protest march at Parliament Street. He was heading the Arakshan Virodhi Party, which was holding a joint protest with the Youth Equality Foundation (or Azad Sena). Gaur and Abhishek Shukla, who was heading the Youth Equality Foundation, conspired to burn a copy of the constitution to get the government's attention against the amendments in the SC/ST Act.
There is also an Indian molecular biologist and professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University by the same name. This Deepak Gaur (1972-2021) is known for his work on Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria-causing parasite, and for receiving the N-Bios Prize. He has held several research fellowships and received numerous awards for his contributions to the medical sciences.
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Who is Abhishek Shukla?
Abhishek Shukla is an Indian geriatrician and palliative care physician. He is the founder and secretary of the Aastha Centre for Geriatric Medicine, a charitable non-governmental organisation based in Lucknow, India. Shukla is also the President of Sri Sachidanand Nishkam Seva Trust, a charitable organisation of religious trust. He has served in senior management roles at companies including Amazon Web Services, HP, TikTok, and i2. In addition, he has received 34 medical excellence awards, including a national award from the President of India.
In 2018, Abhishek Shukla was in the news for a different reason. He was identified as one of the conspirators in the burning of a copy of the Indian Constitution in Delhi. The incident took place during a protest march at Parliament Street, where protestors also raised slogans against BR Ambedkar and the SC/ST community. Mr Gaur, who was leading the Arakshan Virodhi Party, and Abhishek Shukla, who was heading the Youth Equality Foundation, conspired to burn the Constitution to get the government's attention against the amendments in the SC/ST Act.
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What is the Youth Equality Foundation (Azad Sena)?
In 2018, a 40-year-old man named Deepak Gaur was arrested by the Delhi Police for burning a copy of the Indian Constitution during a protest march on Parliament Street. Gaur was a member of the Aarakshan Virodhi Party (AVP), and he was joined in the protest by members of the Youth Equality Foundation (Azad Sena), headed by Abhishek Shukla. The two organisations were protesting against amendments to the SC/ST Act and raised slogans against BR Ambedkar and the SC/ST community.
The Youth Equality Foundation (Azad Sena) is a political organisation in India that emerged amid a trend of small parties in the northern states, advocating for the removal of caste-based reservations in jobs and educational institutions. They have been described as a "future of immense caste-class struggle and violence". The group's leader, Abhishek Shukla, is known for his hate speech, particularly against Dalits, and his Facebook page features videos and statements expressing these views.
The Azad Sena Facebook page, which became active in 2015, contains statements rallying support for the organisation in the LS polls. They criticise other political parties, such as BJP, Congress, and SP, for their stance on the Supreme Court's SC Act verdict. In addition to their online presence, Azad Sena has also engaged in joint protest marches, as seen in the 2018 incident where they burned a copy of the Indian Constitution along with members of the AVP.
The Youth Equality Foundation (Azad Sena) and its members, including Abhishek Shukla, have faced accusations and legal consequences for their actions and statements. In the case of the burned constitution, the Delhi Police received a complaint from Anil Tanwar of the Akhil Bhartiya Bheem Sena, who provided a video of the incident. The police conducted raids and apprehended Gaur, who disclosed his conspiracy with Shukla to burn the constitution and spread their message through social media.
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What is the Arakshan Virodhi Party?
The Aarakshan Virodhi Party (AVP) is an Indian political party registered by the Election Commission of India before the 2014 Indian general election. The party was in the news in 2018 when its leader, Mr Deepak Gaur, was arrested in Delhi for burning a copy of the Indian Constitution during a protest march at Parliament Street. He was identified and apprehended from Faridabad. During the interrogation, Gaur revealed that he and Abhishek Shukla, who was heading the Youth Equality Foundation (Azad Sena), had conspired to burn the Constitution to get the government's attention against the amendments in the SC/ST Act. They also raised slogans against BR Ambedkar and the SC/ST community.
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What happened to the perpetrators?
On August 9, 2018, a group of protestors burnt a copy of the Indian Constitution in Delhi. The group also raised slogans against reformist BR Ambedkar and the SC/ST community. Following this incident, a case was filed, and the police conducted raids in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to apprehend the accused, many of whom were found to be absconding from their houses.
Deepak Gaur, a 40-year-old resident of Ballabhgarh in Haryana and the leader of the Arakshan Virodhi Party, was one of the first to be arrested. Gaur confessed that he, along with Abhishek Shukla of the Youth Equality Foundation (also known as Azad Sena), had planned to burn the constitution to draw the government's attention to the amendments in the SC/ST Act.
Shukla was also arrested, and the Delhi Police filed an FIR against his organisation, Azad Sena, invoking provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act.
It is unclear if any other perpetrators were arrested or faced legal consequences beyond Gaur and Shukla.
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Frequently asked questions
A 40-year-old man named Deepak Gaur was arrested for burning a copy of the Indian Constitution during a protest march at Parliament Street in Delhi.
Gaur, along with Abhishek Shukla, conspired to burn the constitution to get the government's attention against the amendments in the SC/ST Act.
The police formed teams and conducted raids in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Gaur was apprehended from Faridabad.
