Hardik Patel takes dig at Modi's 'New India' over atrocities against Dalits

Hardik, who is known as a rival to Modi and BJP, tweeted in Hindi: "What kind of a New Year is this? 2018 began with deaths of Dalits, farmers and soldiers, how New India will be made with this kind of a new year?"

Five people, including four policemen were injured in clashes on Tuesday as Dalit groups came out in large numbers on the streets of Mumbai suburbs to enforce a shutdown in protest against the violence against members of the community.

Hundreds of people stalled train operations at Mulund, Chembur, Bhandup, Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar in Vikhroli and Nehru Nagar in Kurla on Tuesday morning.

Media reports quoted  Additional Commission of Police Lakhmi Gautam as saying that there were also attempts to block roads, which police managed to foil.

Later, protesters attempted to march towards Ambedkar Garden in Chembur, but were restricted by the police. They blocked traffic on the roads, including on the Sion Panvel highway.

According to reports, services on the Harbour line were ffected.  Trains between CSMT to Kurla and between Mankhurd to Panvel are running.

Meanwhile, Maratha groups also staged protests in Pune. Buses were reportedly vandalised, due to which services to Ahmednagar and Aurangabad were suspended.

The Dalit groups called for a complete shutdown in Maharashtra on Wednesday in protest against the violence against members of the community in Pune two days ago.