Pune: Visitors start pouring in at Koregaon-Bhima, Bhim Army chief vows to attend

Several visitors have started gathering at Koregaon-Bhima a day prior to January 1 when lakhs of visitors pay tribute at the victory pillar. Unlike the last time when all the shops in nearby villages were closed amidst the tension, this time, villagers are seen welcoming the visitors with roses and free food in presence of heavy police deployment.

According to police, around 20,000 visitors have landed at Koregaon-Bhima on Monday and they have been camping in nearby villages including Koregaon-Bhima, Sanaswadi, Loni Kand. The police had held several meetings with the local villagers who had boycotted the event last time and they have managed to rope in these villagers in welcoming the visitors who are expected to gather at the victory pillar in large number.

Ashok Athawale, a villager from Sanaswadi whose house and fabrication workshop was set on fire during the riots kept aside his grief and he welcomed the visitors by offering them free food. "We lost our house in the riots and had to be leave our village. However, this time we have again come here to serve the visitors. We are offering free food to nearly 500 visitors."

As the visitors have already been started arriving the area of Koregaon-Bhima, heavy police deployment has been made by the government in the light of the riots which had taken place on January 1, 2018. The government is also extra cautious in terms of giving permission to various leaders to hold public rallies. Nobody has been allowed to hold the rally near victory pillar. All the rallies will be held nearly 500 meters away from the pillar.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said every year, the state allowed different leaders to hold rallies there. “But if anyone is trying to spoil the law and order situation, then no permissions will be given,” he added, stating that the state government had also created facilities for those visiting the village. 

Meanwhile, the police today carried out the route march in the adjoining villages of Koregaon-Bhima in order to maintain the law and order.

“The police will take preventive measures if anyone tries to take the law into their hands. It is not necessary that the public meeting has to be held only on December 31 and January 1. It can be held anywhere in Maharashtra after January 2,” said minister of state for home (rural) Deepak Kesarkar, adding that the ‘Elgar Parishad’ held last year had inflamed passions before the Bhima Koregaon event.

Kesarkar said they would deploy 5,000 police constables, 12 platoons (1,200 personnel) of the SRPF, 1,200 home guards under the inspector general of police and Pune superintendent of police to oversee security measures. Around 2,000 trained volunteers will also be in place.

He added that the police had also roped in local villagers to keep their shops and establishments open unlike last year. These locals will provide food to around 35,000 people and buses will be arranged to ferry visitors.

Meanwhile, the Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad who landed in Pune city could not hold a public rally after his plea was rejected by the Bombay High Court. After his plea was rejected, he spent a day in Pune city by visiting places like Phule Wada, Lal Mahal and Bhide Wada where reformist Savitribai Phule had started first school for girls.

Speaking to media, Azad said, "We respect the constitution and therefore after the high court rejected our plea, we did not go against the order. However, no one can stop me from visiting Koregao-Bhima as the constitution provides me this right. I will visit the victory pillar on Tuesday."

Uninon Minister Ramdas Athawale, president of Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh Prakash Ambedkar and several other dalit leaders are expected to visit the victory pillar on first day of the new year.