Nearly two years since communal violence erupted during the 200th anniversary celebration of the historic Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district, the Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday allowed the district collector to enter the disputed land at Perne, in Haveli tehsil, and make preparations for the public to pay their respects before the Victory Pillar from December 30 to January 2.
The district collector had filed an application seeking permission from the HC to make the preparations as the court had ordered status quo on a petition filed by Captain Balasaheb Jamdar and two others, who claim ownership of the disputed land on which the Victory Pillar stands. Justice Nitin Sambre’s order came after Jamdar’s counsel, advocate Ajit Kenjale, consented to allow revenue officials to undertake preparations for the January 1 celebrations at Perne, on the condition that the authorities will clean and restore the land to its original condition.Besides, the judge also took into consideration the assurance given by assistant government pleader BV Samant that proper precautions will be taken to maintain public hygiene and the Jamdars will not need to make any complaints. Every year on January 1, thousands from the Dalit community gather at the Victory Pillar at Perne to pay their respects to the martyrs of the Bhima-Koregaon battle of 1818. In January 2018, during the celebrations at the Victory Pillar, violent clashes broke out, killing one person and injuring several others.