207th anniversary of Battle of Koregaon Bhima: ‘We will kick those who oppose Dr Ambedkar, rhymes Ramdas Athavle

Speaking to media persons, Athavale presented poetry in his unique style. “….Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar ahet aamcha daata, Ani jo Babasahebana virodh karel tyala ghalu amhi latha (Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is our guardian, we will kick those who oppose Babasaheb)”, he said.

Incidentally, there have been widespread protests across the country recently against Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his alleged objectionable remarks on Dr B R Ambedkar in Parliament. A few Ambedkarite groups visiting ‘Jaystambh’ were also seen shouting slogans against Shah on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Dattatraya Bharane, Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare, Minorities Development and Aukaf of Maharashtra and Madhuri Misal, Minister of state for social justice, also visited the Jaystambh on Wednesday morning.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar did not visit the ‘Jaystambh’, but posted a message on his social media account to commemorate the Koregaon Bhima battle anniversary.

It may be recalled that one person died and several others were left injured in the violence in Koregaon Bhima area on January 1, 2018, when a huge number of people had gathered to commemorate the 200th anniversary Koregaon Bhima battle. Since then, the January 1 event at Jaystambh is considered highly sensitive by the government.

Over 10,000 police personnel were deployed around Jaystambh and the adjoining villages, including Koregaon Bhima, to maintain law and order.

“No untoward incident was reported. As of now, about six lakh people have visited the Jaystambh peacefully,” said Commissioner of Pune City police Amitesh Kumar.

Besides Kumar, Pune district collector Suhas Divase, Pune Zilla Parishad CEO Santosh Patil, Superintendent of Pune rural police Pankaj Deshmukh, Pimpri Chinchwad police commissioner Vinoy Kumar Choubey and other top officials were closely monitoring the situation at ‘Jaystambh’ and other locations.

Speaking to media persons after his visit to the ‘Jaystambh’, Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar said the battle of Koregaon Bhima physically ended, but it is still on mentally. “As long as the mental battle (against casteism) continues, people will keep visiting the symbols of humanity like the Jaystambh…,” Ambedkar said.

When contacted, advocate Rohan Jamadar, a successor of Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar said, “Police issued a notice and asked us to stay away from Jaystambh area today as a preventive measure.”

Along with tight police security, arrangements like free buses for visitors, drinking water tankers, health, medical and sanitation facilities, fire tenders, ambulances, were in place. Everyone going towards Jaystambh was made to pass through door frame metal detectors. Multiple CCTV cameras were installed and drones were used for overseeing the crowds.

As per historical records, ‘Jaystambh’ is a military monument erected by the British government in 1821 in memory of its soldiers who fought against the Peshwa force at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818. The British had appointed their soldier Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar, who was injured in the battle, as in-charge of the ‘Jaystambh’ on December 13, 1824. Descendents of Jamadar, who are Marathas, believe that both British and Peshwa forces had soldiers from different castes. So they say the ‘Jaystambh’ cannot be linked to any particular caste or religion.

But as per a Dalit narrative, the British Army comprising 500 soldiers from the Mahar community defeated a 25,000-strong force of upper caste Peshwas in the battle of Koregaon Bhima. So lakhs of Ambedkarites visit the Jaystambh on January 1 to pay tribute to the soldiers who, they believe, fought a war against the alleged casteism of the Peshwas.

No untoward incident at Vadhu Budruk

No untoward incident was reported at the Vadhu Budruk village, a highly sensitive place located about 5km away from the Jaystambh.

Vadhu Budruk is known for the samadhi of legendary king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The village also has a disputed tomb-like structure, which, according to the Dalit Mahar community, is the samadhi of Govind Gopal Dhegoji Meghoji, a 17th-century Dalit figure.

Marathas from Vadhu Budruk village believe it was their ancestors, the Shivale Deshmukhs, who defied the orders of Aurangzeb and performed the last rites of Sambhaji Maharaj after he was killed by the Mughal emperor in 1689.

But as per another narrative from the Mahar community, Govind Gopal performed the last rites of the king. The Gaikwad family from the village claim to be successors of Govind Gopal.

A board with the ‘disputed history’ of Govind Gopal erected in Vadhu Budruk on the intervening night of December 28 and 29, 2017, had led to an altercation, which was seen as one of the triggers for Koregaon Bhima violence on January 1, 2018.

Thousands of people who visited Jaystambh also went to Vadhu Budruk on Wednesday. A huge police force was deployed in Vadhu Budruk to ensure peace.

Pandurang Gaikwad, who claims to be a successor of Govind Gopal said that all essential arrangements were made in the village by the government.