Elgar Parishad 2021 held at Pune amidst strict police checkups

The second edition of Elgar Parishad event was held at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch in Pune on the birth anniversary of late PhD scholar Rohith Vemula. Event started at 10 am on 30th January by following performances like dance, musical events and speeches.

After 2017 December 31,this is for the second time the event has been organized. Retired Bombay High Court judges B.GKolse Patil and PB Sawant were the convenors of Elgar Parishad 2021.

In front of the entrance to Ganesh Kala Krida Manch there were tight Police security forces. The event was held with intense police scrutiny by repeatedly checking up the bags of everyone those who are entering the gate.

Some of the notable speakers of the event were Man Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy, Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinath, Dalit Bahujan journalist Prashant Kanojia and CAA Activist Sharjeel Usmani. Around 200-300 people took participated in the event following the Covid restrictions.

Since 2018, around 16 activists got arrested and denied the bail for allegedly provoking communal violence in Bhima Koregoan commemoration day. Elgar Parishad 2021 organized as a tribute to these arrested activists by highlighting Anti- Caste, Anti- Hindutva ideology.

The date also marked the birth anniversary of late Dalit Scholar Rohit Vemula of Hyderabad University who committed suicide in 2016 January. His 'institutional murder' triggered the national student's movement by questioning the caste-based discrimination in campuses.

All the speakers in the event demanded the Elgar Parishad to be conducted in every year highlighting its political relevance. Arundhati Roy said "In our country laws are selectively applied depending on your class, caste, ethnicity, religion, gender and political beliefs," Other speakers were Jamia Student Activist Ayesha Renna and AbedaTadvi (Payal Tadvi's mother). Organizers like Samata Kala Manch, Kabir Kala Manch actively participated in the event by various performances. By 9.30pm the event windup.

Speaking with Madhyamam, Suvarna one of the organizers from Samata Kala Manch told "We have done performances to assert Dalit rights against Brahmanical society. Rohith is the icon of caste annihilate movement. Everyone who talks against government policy is their enemy and will get charged with UAPA. We are not fearing any arrest after this event. We salute the courage of every political prisoners while taking up the fight against neo-peshwai. Elgar Parishad unites various people engaged in democratic struggle. Our main aim is to shake the pre-existing archaic Brahmanical-Patriarchal- Capitalist system from its very roots."

A brief about Bhima Koregaon violence

Bhima Koregaon violence took place on January 1st 2018 in the 200th anniversary of 'Victory Diwas'. Around 35 were injured and 2 persons died in the violence.Elagar Parishad was organized by around 250 Dalit Bahujan groups in Shaniwar Wada in Pune on 31st December 2017 prior one day before the commemoration.

The word Elgaar means loud invitation or loud declaration. More than 30,000 people reportedly took participated in . Police sources claimed that the event was organized by banned Communist Party of India. According to them the Elgar Parishad event instigated violence.