200 years of Battle of Koregaon: Jignesh Mevani and other Dalit activists visit Bhima Koregaon

Dalit activist and newly elected MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani is gaining popularity among Dalit community even outside Gujarat and the example of it was seen in Pune on Sunday where thousands had gathered to see him at a public conference. In attempt to mobilise Dalit community in Maharashtra, Mevani along with other activists on Monday visited Bhima Koregaon memorial to mark the 200th anniversary of a battle between Peshwas and army of British East India company which consisted of largely dalit soldiers. 

Bhima Koregaon is a place which is nearly 30 kilometres away from Pune city has a significant importance among Dalit community. In the year 1881, a battle had taken place Bhima Koregaon where over 20,000 soldiers of Peshwas led by Baji Rao II engaged in a battle with 500 soldiers of East India Company which had largely soldiers from Dalit community. The Peshwas had to face the defeat in front of 500 men and every year people from Dalit community celebrate this victory on January 1 as a symbol of victory against casteism. 

On this January 1, the battle completed 200 years and to mark the 200th anniversary of the battle, some organisations, mostly associated with dalit movement had organised a public conference for which Mevani was called. Along with Mevani, national president of Bhim army Vinay Ratan Singh, JNU student Umar Khalid and mother of Rohit Vemula were also present for the conference. 

On the backdrop of 200th anniversary of Bhima Koregaon battle, Mevani said, "It was a symbolic victory of Dalits over Peshwas who believed in casteism.  Today the present government also has the same mentality, hence they are new Peshwas. We need to be unite against them to fight against the castiesm and protect our constitution." The public rally was deliberately held at Shaniwarwada which was built by Peshwas and it is situated in the heart of Pune city. 

Historian Dr Vijay More, who has done a PhD on the Koregaon Bhima battle, was quoted by DNA earlier saying, Shivaji Maharaj recognised the valour of the Mahars and ensured they fought shoulder-to-shoulder with him. "Successive Chhatrapatis too continued this tradition till 1674 when the Brahmin Peshwas (prime ministers) began to grow in power, sidelining even the royal family itself."

According to him, Brahmanical notions of puritanical exclusion began to then grow and became a part of social norm. "Peshwa Bajirao I (1719-1740) could spread the Maratha kingdom across the subcontinent because of the contribution of the brave Mahars, but disaffection due to discrimination grew rapidly after his death when barbaric cruelties against Dalits were perpetrated."

Dr More insists this was the real reason some of the bravest sardars of the kingdom moved away from Pune up north to create their own kingdoms (Gaikwads in Baroda, Shindes in Gwalior, Holkars in Indore and Bhosales in Nagpur). "As discrimination turned to casteist persecution, the Mahar braves began to get alienated. The British knew this and exploited this divide, breaking the back of the mighty Maratha empire which then collapsed under its own weight."

 "This Koregaon obelisk, not only commemorates the brave and victorious Mahar soldiers but is also a symbol of the community standing up and winning against casteism. Little wonder then that our messiah for dignity-based-equality, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, himself had a tradition of visiting this place unfailingly every January 1," Siddharth Waghmare,,  a leader who attended the ceremony last year was quoted as saying.