Elgar Parishad was an event held on December 31st, 2017 in Pune’s Shaniwarwada fort to celebrate the 200 anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Elgar, as per retired Justice P.B Sawant, implies a loud invitation or proclamation.
In this explained Elgar Parishad case article for UPSC, we have covered these contents: Bhima Koregaon case, Battle of Koregaon and UPSC preparation tips for 2021.
What is the Elgar Parishad Case?
The name ‘Elgar’ literally means ‘loud invitation or declaration.’ On the bicentennial (200th) commemoration of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima, an event was organised on December 31, 2017. The ‘Elgar Parishad,’ convened by an alliance of 260 non-profit groups, was held in Shaniwarwada Fort in Pune and drew over 35,000 people.
History of Elgar Parishad – Important Facts to Know for UPSC
The Peshwas (de facto kings of the Maratha Empire who hailed to the ‘Chitpavan Brahmin’ caste) had their seat of authority in the Shaniwarwada Fort. On 1 January 1818, a unit of Mahar Dalits from the British Army beat the Peshwa’s army in the combat of Koregaon Bhima. The Mahar Dalits regard this win as significant since it was a Mahar Dalit triumph over Brahmin Peshwas. The Elgar Parishad being held at the Shaniwarwada Fort is thus viewed as a symbol of Dalit assertiveness.
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Elgar Parishad Event on 31 December 2017 – Important Facts to Know for UPSC
The first Elgar Parishad event took place at 2:00 pm on December 31, 2017. At the Shaniwarwada Fort, six tents were set up. A multitude of anti-caste cultural acts, speeches, and slogans were performed. After 2:30 p.m., the police declined to let any more people in, anticipating a stampede.
Adivasi activist Soni Sori, Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani, Dalit activist Radhika Vemula (mother of Rohit Vemula), retired Bombay High Court Justice BG Kholse-Patil, Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar, Bhim Army President Vinay Ratan Singh and student leader Umar Khalid were among the event’s organisers and speakers.
Violence at Bhima Koregaon Case – Important Facts to Know for UPSC
Thousands of Dalits gathered on 1 January 2018 to commemorate the fight at Bhima Koregaon, when violence occurred, leaving one person dead and numerous more wounded.
In the months following the incident, people including Mahesh Raut, Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen, Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson and Stan Swamy were prosecuted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Jignesh Mevani, a Gujarat MLA, has been charged with inciting religious animosity.
The gathering was allegedly organised and funded by members of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), which was responsible for the atrocities at Bhima Koregaon, according to Pune Police.
Battle of Koregaon – Important Facts to Know for UPSC
The conflict concluded on January 1, 1818, when the Peshwa’s army (headed by Peshwa Bajirao II) was defeated by the British East India Company. The involvement of a Mahar Dalit unit in the British Army, and their eventual triumph, which is viewed as a win over “high-caste” Brahmin Peshwas, makes it significant for the Dalit community. The Mahars killed in the fight are commemorated on the Koregaon obelisk (about 30 kilometres from Pune). Despite the fact that the pillar was constructed by the British and bears 49 names. The memorial is now seen by Mahars and the Dalit communities as a victory over caste discrimination.
The Elgar Parishad Event – Important Facts to Know for UPSC
The evening event was planned by a consortium of around 250 non-profit groups with primarily an Ambedkarite and Left-leaning viewpoint. It had more than 35,000 participants. The premise for the 6 tents was completely packed.
Several anti-caste and anti-communal cultural acts, speeches, and slogans were performed during the occasion, condemning the Naya-Peshwai or Neo-Peshwa government, among other things. Dalit rights groups, artists, political figures, and former judges were among those who attended. Some of the noteworthy attendees were Adivasi activist Soni Sori, Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar, Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani, Dalit activist Radhika Vemula, retired Bombay High Court Justice BG Kholse-Patil, Bhim Army President Vinay Ratan Singh and student leader Umar Khalid.
Two parades were held before the gathering in Maharashtra’s different districts to gather sympathy for Dalit victims of violence and collect money for the Elgar Parishad. During these marches, artists, activists, theatrical artists, and composers, among others, conducted public gatherings.
Elgar Parishad Case Explained for UPSC: The Violence Part I
After violence erupted in Bhima Koregaon, where Dalits, mostly Mahars, had congregated in large numbers to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon, the old Elgar Parishad was renamed “Elgar Parishad Case ” on Jan 1, 2018. Hindutva organisations (supposedly Shiv Prathishthan Hindustan and Samasta Hindu Aghadi, headed by Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote) and Dalit groups clashed.
The event was also sparked by a rekindled schism between the Marathas and Mahars at Vadhu Budruk (a hamlet near Bhima Koregaon), where Sambhaji, the oldest son of Maratha king Shivaji, was buried after being murdered and tossed into a stream by Aurangzeb in 1689. The body of Sambhaji has been disfigured. According to tradition, Govind Mahar (Gaikwad), a Dalit, was the one who organised the last rituals.
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Elgar Parishad Case Explained for UPSC: The Violence Part II
The Mahars of the hamlet are reported to have constructed Sambhaji’s monument. Upper-caste Marathas, on the other hand, refuse to accept Gaikwad’s participation in Sambhaji’s cremation. The anti-Hindutva Elgar Parishad conference, conducted a day before the violence, was another catalyst.
Rahul Phatangale, 28, was killed in the incident, while several others were wounded. Prakash Ambedkar, the head of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, proposed a Maharashtra Bandh on Jan 3, 2018. Violent demonstrations erupted in Pune, Mumbai, as well as other Maharashtra cities in the aftermath of the incident. As a consequence, a number of persons were arrested, followed by a series of staggered successive arrests.
Elgar Parishad Conclave held on 30 January 2021
The Elgar Parishad event was supposed to take place on December 31, 2020, but it was delayed when Pune Police refused access. The ceremony was later held in Ganesh Krida Kala Manch in Pune’s Swargate neighbourhood on 30 January 2021 with ‘Bhima Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerna Abhiyan.’
The Elgar Parishad included keynote speakers such as Booker Prize-winning novelist Arundhati Roy and retired IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan. Shweta and Akashi Bhatt, the wife and daughter of jailed Gujarat IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, reporter Prashant Kanojia, student leaders Sharjeel Usmani and Ladeeda Sakhaloon and Ayesha Renna N., Abeda Tadvi, the mother of Dr Payal Tadvi, whose death in May 2019 over alleged abuse by senior doctors provoked controversy in Mumbai, and S.Q.R.
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UPSC Preparation Tips
So by now you hopefully know everything about the Elgar Parishad but knowing is not enough when we are talking about UPSC. To crack you need to know the facts and prepare them thoroughly to be able to answer questions that can come from that topic. Below are some of the tips that can help boost your UPSC preparation. So let’s get started!
Make a TimeTable
Analyze your situation well in advance of the exam and organise your timetable accordingly. Last-minute preparations for civil services examinations seldom work. Because the civil services examinations are held every year, there will always be more than enough time to determine how many hours you want to devote to specific courses.
Make UPSC Notes
Make short notes as you move through the syllabus. This will aid in your revision and comprehension of the relevant subjects.
Stay Updated with Current Affairs
Civil service examinations are designed to assess an aspirant’s in-depth understanding of the society in which he or she lives. It is a widespread misconception among applicants that they need to be well-versed in foreign affairs. Although knowledge of international events is necessary, understanding one’s own village, neighbourhood, region, and nation should be regarded as the cornerstone for one’s preparedness. This is really beneficial in terms of helping one’s nation.
Conclusion
Every aspirant is aware that studying for the Civil Service Examination is a difficult undertaking that necessitates a significant amount of hard effort in addition to time. When the exam date approaches, many applicants put their goals on hold owing to a lack of time. When asked if it is possible to pass the Preliminary Exam in a month, the majority of successful Civil Service Exam applicants say yes! A flawless study regimen and mastery of weightage subjects are required to pass the exam.
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