MUMBAI, July 14:The beleaguered Shiv Sena-BJP regime in the State appeared to be in the throes of a major crisis as two top officers belonging to the dalit community today decided to resign in protest against the killing of ten persons in police firing on Friday.

The officers who have put in their papers are Vasant Ingle, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and Datta Waghmare, a section officer in the Planning department of Mantralaya, the state headquarters. According to the Maharashtra State Dalit, Magasvargiya Ani Alpasankhyak Karmachari Mahasangh, the representative body of government servants hailing from the dalit, backward and minority communities which today apprised Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta of their resignations, the officers have submitted their papers which might take a few weeks to process by the appropriate authorities before their resignations become final.

However, Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde today said while he had heard of the resignations, he had not yet received any papers to the effect. Top police authorities also could not confirm the resignation of Ingle.

According to Mahasangh sources, however, the two officers were firm on not going back on their decision. They will not be isolated, moreover, for a series of resignations of dalit officers will take place for the next seven days at Pune, Nasik, Nagpur and other towns of Maharashtra to draw the attention of the Centre to what they see as a tangible second class treatment being meted out to dalits by the current dispensation in Maharashtra. Officers from the revenue department posted in Pune are likely to be the first to follow Ingle and Waghmare tomorrow.

In their memorandum to Gupta, the Mahasangh has also complained about the anti-dalit attitude of the police inspector who opened fire on protesting dalits on Friday. They charged him with a history of atrocities against the underprivileged sections of society and have demanded severe action against him.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.