Was CM Fadnavis Really Unaware of “Pre-planned” Bhima Koregaon Violence?

Several questions on the role of Maharashtra government in general and that of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds home portfolio, in particular,  before and during the Bhima Koregaon violence that shook the country earlier this January remain unanswered. Numerous fact-finding committees had found that the violence was “pre-planned” by Hindutva groups that conspired against Dalit communities, while the police forces – local to higher officials – allegedly displayed laxity, resulting in escalation of incidents of riots from January 1 to 3.

Every year, on January 1, members from the Dalit communities visit Bhima Koregaon village, 30 km from Pune, to celebrate the anniversary of a battle in 1818, where British troops, comprising mostly Mahar (a Scheduled Caste) soldiers, had defeated the Brahmin Peshwa-led Maratha army. This year, when lakhs of Dalits went to participate in the 200th anniversary, crowds and mobs of Hindutva groups launched deliberate attacks terrifying the state. Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide alias Manohar, founders of the right-wing groups Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan Hindustan, were accused of conspiring the riots by numerous independent committees, and several cases were filed against them. While, Ekbote was initially taken into custody, and later released on bail, Bhide was left untouched by the police.

According to a fact-finding committee headed by Siddharth Dhende, deputy mayor of Pune Municipal Corporation, on January 1, when mobs of Hindutva groups were attacking Dalits, Dilip Kamble, minister of state for social justice, was present at the location of violence. Although Kamble had immediately informed the situation to CM Fadnavis, police forces failed to curb the violence.

“Some crowds carrying saffron flags stopped at different villagers, such as Kondhapuri, Chakan Chowk, Sanaswadi Phata, and Malthan Phata, to throw stones at vehicles with blue flags. They were breaking the vehicles on the road. At that time, the state's minister of state of social justice, Dilip Kamble was present at the location. When stones were thrown from a building on his car, some workers took him away from there to a safe place. Kamble called the state's CM Devendra Fadnavis from the spot on his mobile phone but did not receive a response. After some time, Fadnavis himself called Kamble on his mobile phone. Then Kamble told the CM everything that happened and requested for additional police force to be sent. The CM cut the phone call. Stone-throwing was going on till then, At the time, the reporter Prachi Kulkarni and one other reporter were present in Kamble's car,” the report stated.

This September, a judiciary commission began hearings into the January violence in Maharashtra. In the first round of the hearings, led by former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice JN Patel and state Chief Information Commissioner Sumit Mullick, held from September 5 to 7, one social activist Dr Sanjay Lakhe Patil demanded that the CM Fadnavis be summoned for examination before the commission. One set of witnesses have deposed before the panel and the next hearing is slated on September 24.

This March, Fadnavis responded on the investigations into the violence in the state assembly. He said that the police could not find any evidence to substantiate the role of Sambhaji Bhide alias Manohar in the violence, despite numerous allegations, testimonies and evidences pointing to Bhide’s role in conspiring the violence. Dhende’s report had stated that two weeks before the violence, on December 16, 2017, one Kaustubh Kasture, who is associated with Bhide and Ekbote’s organisations, had put up a post on Facebook and social media that a historic incident resembling riots was going to take place on January 1. In addition to this, numerous eye-witnesses had claimed to independent committees that on 30-31 December 2017, provocative messages were circulated by persons of Hindutva ideology on Facebook and social media. Through the messages, it was announced that Sambhaji Bhide will hold a meeting on January 1 in Bhima Koregaon.

Although the Pune Police registered 22 first information reports (FIRs) in relation with the violence, it has been proactive in one case filed by Tushar Damgude, Bhide’s follower, over Elgar Parishad, a conference held by retired judges and Dalit activists in Shaniwar Wada near Pune on 31 December, 2017, to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. In this case, the Pune Police led two rounds of arrests across the country. On June 6, activists Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Shoma Sen and Rona Wilson were arrested. A Pune court, on September 2, granted the police an extension of 90 days to file the chargesheet on these activists. On August 28, Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha, Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira were taken into custody in relation with the same case. However, the attempt to remand the activists was prevented after Professor Romila Thapar and four others moved to the Supreme Court against the arrests. Currently, the five activists are under house arrests, and the next hearing is scheduled on September 19.