As 80-year-old, Varavara Rao, battles Covid-19, the Bhima Koregaon case is back in focus. Here is a brief history of what transpired that led to the arrest of the poet and activist

What is the Bhima Koregaon case

On January 1,2018 violence broke out at the bicentenary celebrations of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Maharashtra. Several people were injured, while one person died.

The police arrested 5 left-wing activists in the matter at the time, poet Varavara Rao, lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj, Arun Farreira, Vernon Gonzalves and journalist, Gautam Navlakha.

They said these people funded the Elgar Parishad conclave on December 31, 2017. They alleged that inflammatory speeches at the event resulted in violence the next day.

The police also stated that those arrested have links to outlawed naxal leaders and were involved in a plot to “assasinate” the Prime Minister.

A Historical Battle

Bhima Koregaon is a village in Pune Maharashtra with strong nationalist Dalit history. There was a battle fought here on January 1, 1818 between the Peshwa and the British. The British army had mainly Dalit soldiers while Peshwa had more of the upper castes. The British army ended up winning the battle and Bhima Koregaon battle ended up becoming a symbol of celebrating Dalit pride in Maharashtra.

January 2018 marked 200 years of this historic win of Dalits over upper caste Peshwa.

Cause of Contention

Vadhu Badruk, a village near Bhima Koregaon has a memorial of local hero Govind Gopal Mahar (Gaikwand). Gaikwand, a wrestler, is said to have performed the last rites of Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chattrapati Shivaji.

The Mughal ruler Aurangzeb had warned people from performing the last rites of Maharaj. Gaikwand ignored those warnings, fished out the mutilated body and performed the necessary rituals.

Vadhu Badruk has a samadhi for Chattrapati Sambhaji Mahraj and a memorial for Gaikwand, right opposite it.

On December 29, 2017, Gaikwand’s memorial was found desecrated, which led to tensions between the Dalits and upper castes of the neighbouring areas. A meeting was subsequently called and the tension diffused.

On December 31, 2017 at the Elgar Parishad conclave, the matter was brought up again in some speeches. According to the police, this resulted in violence on January 1,2018 at the Bhima Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerna Abhiyaan where thousands of people, mainly Dalits participated.

The Violence

It is alleged that violence at the event erupted when some groups carrying saffron flags entered the event. The opposition party and the Left blamed Hindutva outfits and the ruling party for the violence.

The Maharashtra police subsequently launched a probe, which led to several raids and the arrest of 5 left wing activists. The police alleged they had recovered some incriminating documents and specifically a ‘letter’, that talked of assasinating the Prime Minister in a “Rajiv Gandhi type” attack.

The Maharashtra police filed a 5,000 page chargesheet in the case. They alleged that not only was the PM in danger but the Maoist and naxal elements were planning on waging a war against the country. They also claimed the Maoists were trying to incite Dalits at the Elgar Parishad conclave as part of this ‘strategy.’

Progress As Of 2020

The case is now being investigated by the National Intelligence Agency

The investigating agency has named 11 of the 23 accused in the FIR filed, including activists Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Rona Wilson, Surendra Gadling, Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha. Except Teltumbde and Navlakha, the others were arrested by Pune Police in June and August 2018 in connection with the violence. They were accused of having links with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), and are still in prison.