Activist ‘confronted’ with article by Anand Teltumbde on Koregaon Bhima battle ‘myth’

Potdar was cross examined by advocate Rohan Jamadar, a descendant of a British soldier Kandoji-bin Gajoji Jamadar, who was injured in the battle of Koregaon Bhima against the Peshwas on January 1, 1818.

According to the Jamadar family belonging to the Maratha community, both British and Peshwa forces comprised soldiers of different castes. And thus, they say the battle of Koregaon Bhima cannot be linked to any particular caste or religion, and that it was not a war against casteism.

But a section of Dalits, mainly Ambedkarites, believe the British Army comprising 500 soldiers from the Mahar community defeated a 28,000–strong force of Peshwas, who were Brahmins, in this battle. Lakhs of Ambedkarites visit the Jaystambh on January 1 calling it ‘Shaurya Din (victory day)’ to pay tribute to soldiers who, they believe, fought a war for freedom against the alleged casteism of Peshwas.

Believing the same narrative, the Elgaar Parishad was held in Pune’s Shaniwar Wada on December 31, 2017, by a group of organisations under the banner ‘Bhima Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerna Abhiyaan’

However, Teltumbde, who is claimed to be one of the invitees of Elgaar Parishad, had called this narrative a ‘myth’ in his article published on a web portal on January 2, 2018.

Jamadar confronted Potdar withTeltumbde’s article, asking her about the portion that mentioned, “Many Dalit organisations recently formed a joint front to observe the 200th anniversary of this battle as a campaign to launch an attack on the new Peshwai, the rising Brahmanic rule of the Hindutva forces. Their long marches culminated into an Elgar Parishad (conference) at the Shaniwarwada at Pune on December 31. While the resolve to fight the Hindutva forces is certainly laudable, the myth used for the purpose may be grossly counterproductive insofar as it reinforces identitarian tendencies whereas the necessity is to transcend them.”

Potdar said it was “not correct.” Jamdar confronted Potdar with various historical documents and contemporary news reports in British newspapers about the battle of Koregaon Bhima, claiming there was “no reference that battle was fought for discrimination of caste or injustice caused to the persons belonging to lower castes…”.

Jamadar alleged that the organisers of Elgaar Parishad distorted facts about the battle to instigate people, causing riots on January 1, 2018. Potdar denied the allegation.

Meanwhile, in her affidavit before the commission, Potdar blamed Hindutva leaders Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide for the violence.

Potdar is among the 23 people the Pune City police have booked in the Elgaar Parishad case for alleged links with the banned CPI-Maoist. As per a police investigation, the Elgaar Parishad was organised according to a strategy of the CPI-Maoist and speeches delivered at the conclave and previous campaigns for the event were among the factors that led to the Koregaon Bhima violence.

The Pune police had arrested nine people in the case that was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The NIA had further arrested seven activists, including Anand Teltumbde, under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Teltumbde is out on bail and Potdar was never arrested.