Pune: A year after caste clashes marred the event to celebrate the anniversary of Koregaon Bhima battle, at least five lakh people, including political leaders, paid tributes amidst heavy police presence at the memorial here, which has come to be known as a symbol of Dalit pride.
What set apart Tuesday's event from last year is prevalence of cordial atmosphere and active participation of local villagers who welcomed visitors with roses and water bottles since Monday, besides offering free food.
Security agencies we keeping a tight vigil with CCTV and drone cameras in view of caste clashes that erupted last year leaving one person dead and several others injured. Police are probing the alleged Maoist links in the violence, which they suspect was triggered by provocative speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017.
At least 5,000 police personnel, 1,200 Home Guard jawans, 12 companies (comprising around 100 personnel each) of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and 2,000 Dalit volunteers are deployed in and around Perne village where people are paying tributes at the 'Jay Stambh' memorial. As a precautionary measure, internet services have been suspended in the area, police said.
Besides large-scale police deployment, 500 CCTV cameras, 11 drone cameras and 40 video cameras are monitoring the area, a senior police officer said this morning.
Police check posts have been set up along the border of Pune district.
The 'Jay Stambh' memorial was erected by the British in Perne village in the district for the soldiers killed in the Koregaon Bhima battle on January 1, 1818, which has attained legendary stature in Dalit history.
According to local police, a significant number of people have come this year from far-off places in Marathwada, Vidarbha and districts of neighbouring north Maharashtra. The visitors also comprised people from various parts of the country.
"This is for the first time in history that such a large number of people from the Dalit community have come to pay their tributes at the 'Jay Stambh'," claimed a Perne village resident.
Ranjeet Khandare, who has come from Navi Mumbai, said the number of visitors has doubled this year.
Around 40,000 people visited nearby Vadhu Budruk village where samadhi of the 17th Century Dalit figure Govind Mahar is located, a police officer said.
Among thepoliticians, Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of dailt icon B R Ambedkar, was the first to offer his tributes at the memorial this morning.
Maharashtra Minister of State (Home) Deepak Kesarkar, dalit leader Anandraj Ambedkar, Radhika, the mother of Hyderabad University student Rohit Vemula, and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Amar Sable also paid tributes.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale visited the war memorial in the evening.
A police officer said parking arrangements are made at a distance of 3 kms from Perne village.
"Internet services in and around Perne village have been suspended," Special Inspector General of Police Vishwas Nangre-Patil said.
Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal (PMPML) is operating buses to transport people to the village without charging any fare.
Various arrangements including medical facility, water and toilets are also made in the area.
Unlike January 1, 2018, eateries and hotels in the area are being kept open for visitors.
In the Dalit narrative, the 1818 battle is the victory over casteism as the British Army comprising a large contingent of Dalit Mahar soldiers had defeated the forces of Peshwas - -the Brahmin custodians of the Maratha kingdom.
Earlier in the day, Ambedkar laid a wreath at the war memorial and hoped that the commemoration event will pass off peacefully.
"Unlike last year, local people of surrounding villages have extended all help during the commemoration. Locals are lending a helping hand. I hope peaceful completion. However, the police should not act in haste," he told reporters.
Ambedkar said the number of visitors is likely to swell this year.
"The reason behind the surge is because the likes of retired SC judge P B Sawant, retired HC judge B G Kolse Patil and some students (Kabir Kala Manch) took the history of the Koregaon Bhima battle to rural Maharashtra," he said.
"Unfortunately, the same students who bridged the gap between the Marathas and the OBCs using the Elgaar Parishad platform were labelled as Naxals by the government," he claimed, adding the government should find real perpetrators of last year's violence and bring them to justice.
In the wake of the clashes, police had booked Hindutva leaders Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide on charges of inciting violence.
Ashok Athawale, a resident of Sanaswadi whose house and a fabrication unit were torched during the violence last year, said his entire family is offering food to visitors and ensuring that they are not inconvenienced.
