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Communal tensions heated up in Kolhapur after a mob allegedly attacked homes of local residents, vandalised a mosque, and thrashed villagers on the foothills of the historic Vishalgad fort while demanding removal of illegal encroachments on Sunday, 14 July.
The clashes erupted after former Rajya Sabha MP Sambhaji Raje called upon his supporters to march to the fort in a bid to protest against the inaction of the authorities over illegal encroachments. The fort is located in Shahuwadi of Kolhapur district, about 75 kms from Kolhapur city.
Known forn his activism for restoring forts in Maharashtra, Sambhaji Raje is heir to Kolhapur royal family as the 13th direct descendant of Maratha Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and great grandson of Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu of Kolhapur.
The clashes erupted ahead of Sambhaji Raje's arrival at the fort on Sunday morning.
While 21 people have been arrested by the Kolhapur police so far, four FIRs have been registered against 500 people.
Political Pressure, Maha Aarti by Hindutva Groups: How it Began
Calling it 'Vishalgad Anti-Encroachment Movement ,' Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati and his supporters in Kolhapur have been mounting pressure on authorities to remove illegal encroachments at the Vishalgad fort for the past year.
Sambhaji Raje, who has been a vocal critic of the alleged encroachment, gave a call last week to protest at the fort, following which his supporters and members of Hindutva outfits gathered overnight at the entrance of the fort since Saturday night despite no official permission for the gathering.
On Sunday morning, the clashes flared after some miscreants allegedly pelted stones at the Rehman Malik Dargah on the fort, during which some residents and cops were injured. Some vandals also allegedly chanted 'Jai Shri Ram' outside the mosque and raised objectionable slogans.
Some of the residents then reportedly retaliated, following which the situation went out of control. The police then cordoned off the fort and barred entry, following which the mob allegedly attacked shops and homes in the Gajapur village by the foothills of the fort.
Several homes in Gajapur were allegedly set on fire while several other homes and shops were vandalised and looted, sources said. Several vehicles were also torched in the clashes and thrown of the cliff from the fort. Visuals from the site show miscreants atop the mosque trying to damage the dome structures while chanting slogans.
Along with residents, several cops were also injured in the clashes, the police said.
Sambhaji Raje called off his protest after an assurance by CM Eknath Shinde that action will be taken against illegal encroachments in the fort.
'Pointed Knives at Us, Snached Equipments': Journalists Attacked Amid Clashes
Several local journalists reporting on the incident alleged that they were threatened by people who were a part of the mob with knives and sticks to stop them from reporting omn the incident.
Many claimed that their equipment, mobile phones, and boom mic were snatched by miscreants while brandishing swords and knives. Some also claimed that their vehicles were chased in order to scare them into not coming to the area.
Kolhapur Press Club president Sheetal Dhanwade, addressing journalists on Monday, said that a undertaking will be given to the police and the authorities in this regard.
Arrest Me If I am Guilty: Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati
On Monday, Sambhaji Raje blamed the local authorities and the police for not taking enough measures despite anticipating that the situation may get out of hand.
He also showed up at the local police station to urge officials to book him instead of 'Shivaji bhakts'.
"Several Shiv Bhakts have been booked. Rather than harassing them, the police should book me.I kept asking them if I have been booked but they refused to answer," he said, after a two-hoir long meeting with police officials.
He further said that there is no communal agenda behind his movement but some people with vested interests are trying to portray it so.
"One of the first encroachments to be destroyed belongs to a Prakash Patil. Some of the first action was faced by Hindu families. Some people are trying to do Hindu-Muslim over this, they must not," he said.
"I do not support what happened in Gajapur. The incident must be probed and the police must take appropriate action. If somebody is firing shots with the gun on my shoulder, I will look into it. But my intention was only to protest against encroachment," he said.
Opposition, Muslim Bodies Demand Sambhaji Raje's Arrest
Meanwhile, politics peaked on the issue with opposition parties demanding immediate action against Sambhaji Raje.
Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCPSP) chief Sharad Pawar, Kolhapur MP Shahu Maharaj, NCPSP district president VB Patil, and district Congress president and MLA Satej Patil held a meeting over the unrest.
"Somebody like Sambhaji Raje should have been careful while blaming the authorities for the unrest," Patil said.
Kolhapur Guardian Minister Hasan Mushrif, meanwhile, said: "Such an incident is a blot in the kingdom of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. The issue of encroachments on Vishalgad is sub-judice. So, it is for Sambhaji Raje to answer whether his stance on the issue is appropriate."
Several Muslim bodies led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind sumbmitted a letter to the Kolhapur authorities to take strict action against those accused and demanded that Sambhaji Raje must be arrested.
Following the clashes, about 35 illegal shops were razed by authorities on Monday on the orders of CM Shinde who arrived in Kolhapur on Sunday night.
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