Pune-based activists blacken face of Maratha Leader Pravin Gaikwad
Pune-based activists blacken face of Maratha
Leader Pravin Gaikwad 
Pune-based activists Shivdharma Foundation blackened the face of Maratha leader Pravin Gaikwad, the state president of Sambhaji Brigade, in Akkalkot area of Solapur district at an award distribution function of Fattesingh Shikshan Sanstha and Sakal Maratha Samaj
The Shivdharma Foundation had been protesting against the name of the organisation Sambhaji Brigade, claiming that it made an ekeri ullekh (singular reference) of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the legendary king known for his sacrifices. The Shivdharma Foundation demanded that Sambhaji Brigade be renamed “Dharmaveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Brigade.
The incident happened when Gaikwad reached Akkalkot for an award distribution function of Fattesingh Shikshan Sanstha and Sakal Maratha Samaj on Sunday.
He was suddenly mobbed by members of the Shivdharma Foundation led by BJP worker and Hindutva activist Deepak Sitaram Kate around 4 pm. They allegedly poured black oil on Gaikwad’s head, blackened his face and also manhandled him.
Supporters of Kate and Gaikwad clashed with each other at the spot. Videos of the incident had surfaced on social media.
Sub-Division Police Officer (Akkalkot) Vilas Yamavar said, “An FIR is being lodged as per the complaint filed by a Sambhaji Brigade office bearer. Further investigation is on. Police responded within two to three minutes after the incident was reported and controlled the situation.”
Gaikwad blamed the state government for the attack and claimed that it was a part of “big conspiracy” to kill him.
Calling it an attack on his ideology, Gaikwad compared the attackers with the killers of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar, communist leader Govind Pansare and journalist Gauri Lankesh. “I am alive because of Sambhaji Brigade activists,” he said.
Gaikwad further went on to state that he would not condemn the attack, but mentioning Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, he raised suspicion on why police were not deployed at the function for which he had come to Akkalkot.
“There is a threat to the “purogami (progressive)” people in the state.
Gaikwad revealed to the mediapersons that he had earlier held talks with Kate twice regarding the demand to change the “Sambhaji Brigade” “There was a technical difficulty in changing the name because one Sachin Kamble of Mumbai had already registered a separate group with the name Chhatrapati Sambhaji Brigade.
Adding that to say that the name ‘Sambhaji Brigade’ causes an insult to Chhatrapati Sambhaji is false since he believes in the Constitution, works for humanity, equality, fraternity and social justice and follows the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Dr B R Ambedkar.
The Sambhaji Brigade, issued a press statement condemning the attack and outfit claimed that “BJP goon” Kate had been giving open threats for the last few months, but still the government did not act against him. It stated in the press release that “they believe in the law, does not mean they would tolerate injustice – would give a tit for tat reply.
Reportedly In January this year, Deepak Kate was arrested by the Pune city police after bullets and magazines were seized from his bag at the Pune International Airport, while he was on his way to Hyderabad by a flight. Resident of Sarati village in Indapur taluka of Pune district, he was later released on bail by the court. Kate had claimed that someone had planted the bullets in his bag in a conspiracy to defame him.
Taking to his Facebook account,Deepak Kate says he is an office bearer of the Bharatiya Jana Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP’s youth wing and founder of Shivdharma Foundation Hindustan. As per sources Kate had campaigned for the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), in the midst of the Assembly elections last year.
In the past, Kate had protested against a company manufacturing hand rolled cigarettes “Sambhaji Beedi”, forcing it to rename it to “Sable Beedi”.
Pravin Gaikwad is a prominent Maratha face in the state. His organisation Sambhaji Brigade came to limelight after it vandalised the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Organisation (BORI) in Pune 2004, claiming that objectionable content on Shivaji Maharaj in the book by foreign author James Laine was provided by BORI researchers.
It was January 2017, some members of Sambhaji Brigade had also vandalised a bust of Marathi playwright Ram Ganesh Gadkari at the Sambhaji Park in Pune claiming that in his 1918 play Raj Sanyas, Gadkari had portrayed Chhatrapati Sambhaji in a bad light.
In 2017, Gaikwad had joined the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP). However, in March 2019, Gaikwad joined the Congress, hoping to get a ticket for contesting the then Loksabha elections from Pune.
But the Congress party fielded another candidate from Pune constituency. Gaikwad has been taking a stand against the RSS and Hindutva forces and is considered close to senior politician and NCP leader Sharad Pawar.
News Edit KV Raman
