Page 30 - English Tehelka Issue 1&2

• Insignificant artefact The Koregaon
memorial became an insignificant artefact
in due course of time

Meanwhile, the new Dalit lead-
ership which has emerged in Gu-
jarat after rising number of cases
of cow-vigilantism grabbed the
opportunity to expand its anti-
BJP struggle in other parts of the
country. They decided to celebrate
the memory of Dalit victory with
a meeting at Shanivarwada, the
seat of the Peshwas in Pune. Most
battle contradicts the legacy of The Koregaon of the Dalit and youth organizations
Maratha rule as being invincible. In who are opposing the “communal”
Maharashtra, the Hindutva narra- memorial faded and “anti-poor” rule of Prime Min-
tive of Maratha rule projects Shivaji ister Narendra Modi were invited. • Caste equations Bhima-Koregaon violence and its counter-violence has not only impacted Maharashtra but national politics too
as a Hindu ruler who wanted to free away from British Prominent Dalit leader Prakash
the country from alien rule of the memory and Ambedkar, Jignesh Mevani along
Muslims (Mughals). It automatically with JNU student leader Umar
makes Peshwas as nationalists and they abandoned Khalid and the mother of Rohith Ve- ‘Bhima-Koregaon clashes a
those who oppose them becomes mentioning the mula were the prominent speakers.
collaborators of foreign rule. The opposition to this new for-
But the proposition hardly holds event in later mation, alleges Ambedkar, came pre-planned conspiracy’
any water. Maratha chieftains were descriptions of the from two Hindutva outfits — Shiv
fighting each other and frequently Pratishthan led by Sambhaji Bhide
taking help of the East India Com- empire and Hindu Sangstha Aghadi led by
pany to defeat their opponents. The Milind Ekbote. Both the organiza-
last Peshwa Baji Rao II himself had tions took advantage of the antago- The recent violence in Maharashtra as a fallout of the conflict between Dalit and Maratha
made the treaty of Baseein with the them. In the late twentieth century, nism between Marathas and Dalits communities is a grim reminder of the caste factor being dominant in the Indian psyche,
British in 1802 to oust the Holkar they were stopped from being re- and incited violence. However, both manmohan singh naula reports
who had captured Pune and forced cruited in the army. Mahar leaders Dalit and Maratha leaders soon
Baji Rao to flee. Kumbhojkar rightly made a series of petitions to lift the recognized the danger of caste ri-
points out how the Koregaon me- ban. The World War I necessitated ots and united against the saffron hima-Koregaon, a small o’clock in the morning, we saw smoke mob with saffron flags, chanting ‘Jay
morial faded away from the mem- them to lift the ban but it was again government. The incident has now village in Maharashtra rising across the Bhima river. Some Shivaji, Jay Bhawani’ was moving to-
ory of the British and they aban- imposed after the war. The ban was pitted Dalits against BJP. It is going located on the Pune-Ah- people rushed to us and said that ve- wards us. Almost the same scene was
doned mentioning the event in later lifted again during the World War II. to affect the equations that BJP has madnagar Highway, sud- hicles parked there were set on fire being played out in Bhima-Koregaon.
descriptions of the empire. It is clear The recent episode of violence been building with an eye on the B denly made headlines on and stone pelting was going on. We all The crowd was stunned and people
that, from the British point of view, is the result of socio-political equa- next Lok Sabha elections. Prakash the first day of this new year. Thou- ran towards the spot. The atmosphere started running, a stamped took place.
the memorial became an insignifi- tions which have been emerging Ambedkar is trying to forge an alli- sands of people from the backward had turned tensed. We informed the Vehicles were burning and stones
cant artefact in due course of time. in Maharashtra and other parts of ance of Dalit-OBCs in Maharashtra Dalit caste had gathered in the village police about the incident, but we were being thrown even at Sanaswadi
But, for Dalits, it acquired an the country. Marathas are fighting for years. The incident has opened to celebrate the 200th anniversary surprised at the police’s role,” Vilas village at the connecting road to
iconic status which was much more for reservation in jobs and educa- up some opportunity for him as of a battle won by the British army, Sathye, who is associated with the Ahmednagar. Bhima-Koregaon, Vadu
than winning a battle. The Koregaon tion. The new Maratha assertion well. The new Dalit politics under mainly comprising the untouchable Bharat Mukti Morcha, told Tehelka. Budruk and Sanaswadi were under
memorial assumes significance in a is partly directed against Dalits as the leadership of Jignesh Mevani Mahars, against upper caste Peshwas, Bharip activist from Mumbai fire. Meanwhile, news of the death
wide anti-caste narrative. they are also demanding abolition will also help spread the social alli- an event that became a symbol of Ashok Gajjeti said, “We started to of a young man made the situation
It should also be recalled that of Prevention of Atrocities against ance that the Congress chief Rahul Dalit pride. move towards Badu Budruk village more tense.”
like other Indians, Mahars served SCs and STs. The episode of rape of Gandhi tried to forge in Gujarat and “We have been visiting this historic but the situation was more danger- Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh Chief
the British and their participation a girl at Kopardi also saw a violent in other parts of the country. The place for the past ten or fifteen years ous there as youths were burning Prakash Ambedkar has alleged that
in Multan and Afghanistan brought anti-Dalit upsurge. The BJP has been Koregaon incident certainly has but for the very first time we noticed vehicles and throwing stones at the whatever happened on January 1 was
praise as well, but they also took exploiting this antagonism and mo- ramifications for 2019. that all shops in the area were closed. crowd from roofs of buildings. Cars pre-planned. “On December 31 when
part in the 1857 war of independ- bilizing support of Dalits and OBCs The approach of the villagers was to- and bikes were set ablaze and win- we came to know that some people
ence. This led the British to distrust against the dominant Marathas. letters@tehelka.com tally different this time. At around 11 dows of vehicles were smashed. A big were planning to disrupt our pro-

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