For a fortnight, social media has been abuzz with factual and fictional accounts about what happened at Bhima Koregaon in 1818—and why it remains relevant even now. All of it, since the start of this year that marks the 200th anniversary of a historic event associated with the rugged village in west-central India. It’s there that a war memorial stands as a symbol of Dalit pride, as 22 soldiers of the underprivileged Mahar caste died fighting in a battle between the British and a military force under the Maratha empire.
On the New Year day of 2018, people heading for the victory pillar near Pune were attacked, allegedly by Hindutva forces, killing a young man. It triggered protests the following day, prompting several human-rights groups and Dalit activists to organise a state-wide bandh. A cloud of unrest lingers across Maharashtra, potentially hinting at the start of a new era for negotiating the socio-political power structures for Dalits and Marathas. It may also portend a fresh challenge for the state’s ruling BJP that sits in...
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