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Kolse Patil: I’m under MVA government surveillance, but will hold Elgar Parishad
Earlier, the former high court judge had questioned the state government for withdrawing security in a Facebook post
Former high court judge justice (retired) BG Kolse Patil has accused the state government led by Uddhav Thackeray of keeping a watch over him and his social activities while stressing that he will once again organise the Elgar Parishad this year ahead of the Bhima Koregaon anniversary on January 1, 2020.
Kolse Patil said, “Wherever I go the state police follows me. They click my vehicle pictures. They come to my society and question my driver. They do it deliberately to tarnish my name as a bad man. Earlier, security was provided to me by the then Fadnavis government. Once the new government came to power, my security was withdrawn.”
Patil further said that he was organising the Elgar Parishad at the Ganesh Kala Krida Manch in Pune where the venue fees of Rs 40,000 have already been paid despite having no permission from the local authorities.
“We have already booked the hall, paid the charges and sought permission from the police for holding the anti-caste meet. We will invite speakers who are progressive and speak against fascism. If the police don’t give us permission, then we will go to the high court,” Kolse Patil said.
Earlier, the former high court judge had questioned the state government for withdrawing security in a Facebook post.
Kolse Patil had written in a post, “Why are the police seen following me at my public meetings?
Retired Supreme Court judge PB Sawant and retired justice Kolse Patil were the conveners of the first Elgar Parishad held on Dec 31, 2017. The next day, violence broke out in the village of Bhima Koregaon during the annual gathering of Dalits on the occasion of the bicentenary of the 1818 Battle of Koregaon Bhima.
According to the charge sheet, Maoist forces were behind organizing the conclave and funded the meet.
As many as fourteen academics and activists have been arrested from various parts of the country for suspected Maoist links in connection with the case which has been taken over by the NIA from Pune police.
The police had in their charge sheet stated, “The speeches at the conclave, held on December 31 last year to mark the 200th anniversary of the Koregaon-Bhima battle, had fuelled the violence a day later.”
Patil said “It was I who was instrumental in the defeat of the BJP government in the state before the formation of the present government. Whichever government comes to power, it is the RSS which rules the country. The new government and ministers are not aware of how the system works. We will keep spreading awareness of creating an equal society based on the principles of Chhatrapati Shahu-Phule and Ambedkar,” he said.
