THE BJP finds itself on the wrong foot again over Maratha politics as the row over attack on the Sambhaji Brigade’s state president by one of its party leaders blows up.
While the accused BJP leader, Deepak Kate, who has been arrested, is a Maratha too, the attack on Pravin Gaikwad has rekindled suspicions of Maratha outfits regarding the BJP’s “commitment” to the Maratha cause, many of whom have rallied behind Gaikwad.
A day after the attack on Gaikwad, around half-a-dozen organisations which have been fighting for Maratha reservation held a closed-door meeting in Pune.
The BJP initially appeared to be dragging its feet on action against Kate, even as his photographs with newly replaced BJP state chief Chandrakant Bawankule did the rounds. As BJP allies NCP and Shiv Sena also came out against the attack, Kate was finally arrested.
Gaikwad was manhandled and had black ink thrown on him in Solapur district by members of the Shivdharma Foundation, led by Kate, soon after he had arrived for a programme organised by the Fattesingh Shikshan Sanstha and Sakal Maratha Samaj.
Kate explained his action as stemming from anger over Gaikwad not adding ‘Chhatrapati’ to the name of its Sambhaji Brigade, calling this “insulting” and “inappropriate”. Others see it as more of a power struggle between two leaders who belong to the same Solapur region, who tap into the same vote bank, and who never shy away from controversy:
Pravin Gaikwad
Belonging to Akluj in Solapur district, Gaikwad was among the founding members of the Sambhaji Brigade and is its current president. Known for his aggressive brand of politics, Gaikwad has established himself as a leader who takes up social, economic and political issues of the Marathas, with a large network of supporters. His following, especially among the poor, makes him a valuable asset for political parties, even if covertly.
In 2004, the Sambhaji Brigade hit national limelight after its workers vandalised the reputed Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune, over its alleged association with James Laine, whose book on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had sparked controversy. Priceless manuscripts and artefacts were damaged in the attack, which happened under the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra.
With Prime Minister A B Vajpayee, who headed the NDA government at the Centre, criticising the attack, the state government had cracked down against the Sambhaji Brigade, with the organisation banned and 72 of its members arrested. The ban, however, was never enforced on the ground.
Later, the Sambhaji Brigade was involved in a protest to remove a statue of Dadoji Kondadev, revered by some as Chhatrapati Shivaji’s teacher, in Pune. The Brigade contested that Kondadev was portrayed as a teacher by some Brahmin scholars. In 2010, a group of 30-40 Sambhaji Brigade activists attacked the Mayor’s office as part of the protest.
Bowing to the Sambhaji Brigade’s demand, the Congress-NCP government that was in power at the time set up a committee to ascertain the facts and later removed the name of Kondadev from school history books, saying no evidence of him being a teacher of Shivaji had been found. The move was severely criticised by historians and scholars.
After Gaikwad was encircled by Shivdharma Foundation activists and had black ink smeared on his face, the Sambhaji Brigade held protests across the state. Tension was averted due to police intervention.
Deepak Kate
The Shivdharma Foundation is believed to have sprung up around the time of the Maratha Kranti Morcha-led agitation across the state in 2016-17. The immediate trigger for the Morcha’s formation was the ‘rape’ of a Maratha girl, but the protests then expanded to include the demand for a Maratha quota.
In 2020, Kate led a well-known campaign against ‘Sambhaji Beedi’, saying the firm selling tobacco should not associate its brand with ‘Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’. The company finally changed its name to Sable Beedi.
In January this year, Kate was caught with 28 live rounds of 7.65 mm calibre and two magazines in his bag during a security check while flying down from Pune to Hyderabad. An FIR was lodged against him at the Vimantal Police Station in Pune under the Indian Arms Act. He was arrested but later released on bail.
Kate claimed someone planted the bullets in his bag to defame him.
The impact
With its resounding victory in the 2024 Assembly polls, the BJP had silenced activists and groups like Manoj Jarange Patil, Sakal Maratha Samaj and Maratha Mahasangh, which had been pressuring the previous Mahayuti government over a Maratha quota.
A senior Maratha leader associated with the BJP admitted that Kate’s attack could cause the distrust towards the party to bubble up again. “Their tussle may be an outcome of local politics, but it will ultimately adversely impact the Devendra Fadnavis government.”
Gaikwad linked the attack on him to “a well-orchestrated plot with the patronage of the government”, and specifically blamed Fadnavis, pointing out that he holds the Home portfolio. Underlining the difference between his outfit and the BJP, Gaikwad said: “We believe in the progressive ideology of Shahu-Phule-Ambedkar. But the right wing wants to bring in Manusmriti.”
Another senior Maratha leader, Puroshattam Khedekar, said: “The attack on Pravin Gaikwad is not about an individual. It is a warning to all-like minded parties and organisations to unite to uphold the welfare of Marathas, the Bahujan and poor.”
From within the Mahayuti, NCP MLC Amol Mitkari questioned the basis of the Shivdharma Foundation’s protest. “If the Shivdharma insists on Chhatrapati Sambhaji as title, how do they justify their organisation’s name? Or of Bajrang Dal? Shouldn’t it be Shri Bajrang Dal?”
Mitkari went one step further and said: “The government’s recent legislation targets Left-wing extremists. We want action against right-wing extremists too.”
Shiv Sena Deputy CM Eknath Shinde also condemned the attack on Gaikwad, saying: “We strongly oppose violence against anybody in any form.”
Opposition parties raised the issue on the floor of the Legislative Assembly and Council on Monday. Congress leader Vijay Waddetiwar described the attack as “a murderous attempt on Pravin Gaikwad”.
Fadnavis, who announced Kate’s arrest on the floor of the Assembly, said: “The state is governed by law and order. An act of violence by anybody will be tackled with firm hands.”
Under attack over his alleged “links” to Kate, Bawankule said, “The BJP never subscribes to any form of violence… We have nothing to do with the act of Shivdharma activists.”