4 min readMumbaiJun 13, 2023 02:02 PM IST
First published on: Jun 9, 2023 at 02:56 AM IST
Until the night of June 6, police in Kolhapur were awaiting orders for nakabandi (checkpoints) in the city, anticipating heavy mobilisation by right wing Hindu organisations that had called for a bandh the next day, demanding action over some objectionable social media posts.
But no such order came that night, police sources told The Indian Express.
The next day, a large crowd gathered at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Chowk in the heart of the city, and turned violent.
The stone-pelting and vandalism that followed was a rare incident of communal strife in Kolhapur, a former princely state led by Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj who along with Jyotiba Pule and Dr B R Ambedkar formed the triumvirate of Maharashtra’s progressive and reformist tradition.
“No orders were given on controlling the gathering. Let them (the authorities) show the order, if any,” a police officer said.
The trigger for the violence was a social media message that went viral on June 5-6, naming three Muslim juveniles and accusing them of disrespecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by posting an Instagram status that allegedly glorified Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. All three have been detained by police.
Right wing organisations including Bajrang Dal, Sambhaji Bhide-led Shiv Pratisthan, organisers of the Sakal Hindu Samaj rallies, the BJP and Shiv Sena, called for a bandh, saying there was a deliberate attempt to disrespect Chhatrapati Shivaji at a time when the state was celebrating the 350th anniversary of his coronation ceremony.
Messages were circulated, asking people to gather at Shivaji Chowk, police said.
The crowd, police said, began gathering around 8.30 am and within two hours, the number had swelled to an estimated 5,000. The leaderless mob later turned violent, hurling stones at select shops and vandalising vehicles – this had led to allegations that police were slow to act.
Videos that did the rounds of social media showed Bajrang Dal leader Bandya Salokhe being given a rousing welcome by the crowd. The other major group present there was of right wing leader Sambhaji Bhide’s Shiv Pratisthan – Bhide’s name had come up during the violence in Miraj and Bhima Koregaon.
The crowd targeted a particular area that falls under the North Kolhapur Assembly constituency and has a large Muslim population. The seat was retained by the Congress in a tightly contested by-election in 2022.
Many are criticising the police for the hesitancy shown in acting in time. Chhatrapati Shahu, descendant of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, said, “I personally called the District Collector, SP and IG to allow me to talk to the people who had gathered so that they could be pacified. But I did not hear back from them. Maybe they did not find my help useful.”
Police have so far arrested over 40 people and said they are searching for others who have been identified.
Situated on the border of Maharashtra and Karnataka, Kolhapur is one of the richest districts of the state, thanks to the co-operative sugar and milk movement and record production of sugarcane. The district is also known for its wrestling akharas.
Under Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, the then princely state contributed immensely to progressive movements, upholding liberal values. It was one of the first princely states to announce reservation in government jobs in 1902.
Police personnel stand guard at Sadar Bazar area of Kolhapur in Maharashtra on Thursday. Amit Chakravarty 
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