‘Pattern of Conspiracy’: First Elgar Parishad Held After 3 Years

Songs and speeches echoed through the first Elgar Parishad held after three years of vilification and arrests.

Three years after an Elgar Parishad meeting became the epicentre of arrests and vilification of human rights activists across the country over the Bhima Koregaon violence, a day-long event was held at Pune’s Ganesh Kala Krida Manch on 30 January.

Speeches and songs rang through the air at the event organised to commemorate the battle of Bhima Koregaon, amid beefed up security.

“In this atmosphere of vilification and fear, it is brave and salute-worthy to hold this event today.”

Arundhati Roy

Author Arundhati Roy was one of the guests at the event along with journalist Prashant Kanojia, activists Sharjeel Usmani and Kannan Gopinathan.

Roy started her speech by paying her tribute to Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula who would have turned 32 today. In 2016 January, Vemula had hung himself in his hostel room at Hyderabad Central University alleging casteism.

“From Bhima Koregaon violence in 2018 to the anti-CAA protests and now to the farmers’ protest, there is a pattern to the conspiracy of inciting violence through outsiders.”

Arundhati Roy

In 2017, violence had broken out in Maharashtra’s Bhima Koregaon region and alleged provocative speeches at Elgar Parishad held on 31 December by activists are blamed for it. Over 16 activists including Anand Teltumbde, Sudha Bhardwaj, Varavara Rao, Stan Swamy, Gautam Navlakha and others have been arrested by the National Investigation Agency over the last three years in connection with the violence.

However, no action has been taken so far against the two Hindutva activists who were named as the prime accused for inciting violence in January 2018 - Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote.

“This event is in solidarity with the political prisoners who are innocent but are languishing in jail under charges of anti-terror law. Some of the activists who have been booked over the Bhima Koregaon violence unfairly, I have laughed and ate with them.”

Arundhati Roy

Both Kanojia and Usmani pitched for unity of the oppressed sections of the society - “Forget your differences and come together to fight against hatred.”

Kabir Kala Manch, an artist group singings songs of Bahujan and Marx and often branded as “naxals” by the government, also performed at the event. Three of their members are among the 16 arrested over the Bhima Koregaon violence.

Other artist groups and musicians also performed at the event. You can watch the event here.