Organisers undecided on third edition of Elgar Parishad

The Elgar Parishad organisers are undecided about holding another edition of the conclave, for them getting bail for artistes is top priority

PUNE The Elgar Parishad organisers are undecided about holding another edition of the conclave, for them getting bail for artistes is top priority. The second edition of the Elgar Parishad was held at GaneshKala Krida manch on Jan 1, last year wherein academics, activists and writers from dalit, muslim and other social organisations addressed the thinly attended event.

The first edition of the Elgar Parishad was held on December 31, 2017 in Pune’s Shaniwar Wada. (HT PHOTO)

Former Bombay HC judge BG Kolse Patil who was one of the organisers of the event along with late Justice P B Sawant under Bhima Koregaon Shauryadin Prerna Abhiyaan said, “Currently we are thinking about the bail of those organisers of Elgar Parishad who have been falsely arrested in the case. We are hopeful that they will be released on bail.”

Violence and arrests

The first edition of the Elgar Parishad was held on December 31, 2017 in Pune’s Shaniwar Wada. Violence, however, broke out in Bhima Koregaon on January 2, 2018, a day after the event concluded, with the Pune Police claiming that speeches at the Elgar Parishad were responsible, at least partially, for the clashes.

Two FIRs were filed — one against Shivjagar Pratisthan president Sambhaji Bhide ‘Guruji’ and the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti president Milind Ekbote. The second FIR was filed against “Leftist groups with Maoist links” who spoke at the Elgar Parishad.

In 2018, the Pune police raided the homes of several human rights activists across the country and arrested activists, lawyers and academicians including Varavara Rao, Sudhir Dhawale, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, Shoma Sen and Rona Wilson, among others.