Violence was conspiracy to create wedge between Marathas-Dalits
PRATAP ASBE
The conspiracy to disrupt the Dalit march to commemorate the bi-centenary celebrations of Mahar army victory against the Peshwas on January 1, 1818, was disrupted on Monday by the Hindu right wing outfits. This was a brazen attempt to create communal riots and create wedge between Dalit and Maratha communities.
The march on January 1, is held every year. The historic relations between the two communities of Brahmins and Dalits is known. This is march of victory, is actually victory over the atrocities and struggle of Dalits over Brahmins. The Maharas were abused by Peshwas. Then the East Indian Company came to rule in the sub continent and the Maharas supported them. They saw this a escpae window and a meagre 500 Mahar army helped British to defeat the Peshwas. This victory is seen as symbolic fight against the caste atrocities and untouchability.
Untouchability eventually was also declared illegal after our independence. The relentless fight by our father of Indian Constitution, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar helped to achieve it. Ramdas Athawle is obviously loyal to the Bharatiya Janta Party being in NDA.
Since last one year we witnessed an anti-Dalit movement through the Silent Morchas undertaken by Marathas, after Kopardi gang rape and murder of a Maratha girl. There were sentiments of hatred against Dalits at that time. Initially the Marathas even demanded abolishment of the Prevention of SC ST Atrocities Act, which they later changed to diluting it. Now, seeing the political atmosphere in the state, the ruling party will want to obviously widen this gap between the Marathas and the Dalits. Then pertinent issues like farmers’ suicides, the farmers’ loan waiver and farmers’ strike automatically gets pushed in the background. This helps the BJP to govern without any worries. As a result some of the right wing Hindu elements involved get used to fulfill the political goals of the state. These accused had previously used similar devious methods in Sangli. He would use false propaganda and distort history instigating few youths from other communities other than Marathas and brain wash them with Hindu ideology. When Sambhaji Brigade was first formed, they first targetted Sambhaji Bhide, one of the accused for precisely this reason.
The fact is the legacy of Peshwas is the same as Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and BJP. Sambhaji Brigade was against these new Peshwas. However, this entire controversy laid to rest as the fight between Marathas and Dalits. They distorted the historic facts, Sambhaji maharaj was debouched by Aurangzeb and his body pieces were scattered for wild animals to eat. Aurangzeb had warned citizens not to touch his body. However, a Mahar stumbled upon his king’s body parts and felt bad. He opposed Aurangazeb, pieced Sambhaji’s body, stitched and performed his last rites.
Aurangzeb hanged him to death for breaking his diktat. His samadhi is at Bhima Koregaon. There is a shed with a board appreciating his effort and this piece of history was named there. These two accused and their Hindu outfits began a conspiracy over a week ago, spreading a rumour this entire piece of history is false. It is said this board was pulled down and from there began the sparks of violence. These fringe groups of right wing began working for creating this division in society.
Remember when the Maratha morchas first began, the BJP was initially scared. They thought it was against them. Later, when the tone was against the Dalits, they also supported these morchas. They even made the organisers to hold a morcha in Mumbai, At that time the farmers’ stir was not intensified. When the Maratha morchas, stopped, that is when the farmers’ stir intensified and shook the chief minister. The BJP typical style is to rule by dividing the society. Initially the effort was to make it look like the riots were caused by Marathas, which worked in the favour of BJP. However, now that the Hindu groups’ conspiracy has been exposed, it has made the government uncomfortable.