Million 'untouchables' rally in Mumbai

MUMBAI, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- About 1 million members of India's Dalit, or "untouchable," caste rallied in Mumbai to honor a fellow Dalit who helped write the constitution.

The gathering in a park where Bhimrao Ambedkar was cremated in 1956 drew people to Mumbai from across the country Wednesday, a Times of London correspondent reported.

Some traveled as long as 36 hours for the rally and to demand equal rights at the 50th anniversary of Ambedkar's cremation.

He was a lawyer who became the first law minister in independent India, and is highly revered by Dalits.

Last week, violent clashes broke out in Mumbai after a statue of Ambedkar in Kanpur was desecrated and police killed several people suspected of setting fire to cars and buses.

Wednesday's event was mostly peaceful, as 1,000 police surrounded the park and video cameras on towers recorded the event, the newspaper said.