Bhima Koregaon caste clash: Outsiders responsible for violence, say villagers
Residents of three Maharashtra villagers come together and accuse outsiders of fomenting trouble that spread across large swathes of the state.
Villagers of Bhima Koregaon, Vadubudruk and Sanaswadi have charged outsiders of causing the violence in Bhima Koregaon, a village on the outskirts of Pune.
The violence that erupted on January 1 spread quickly to other parts of the state leaving one person dead and scores injured. Arson and rioting affected large parts of Maharashtra.
While Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has blamed Maoists for the violence, the villagers of the three villages have said that outsiders are maligning their name.
"Outsiders are responsible for the rioting. We the people of Bhima Koregaon have been living in peace and harmony and will continue to do so," said Sangita Kamble, sarpanch of Bhima Koregaon.
In Friday's townhall, villagers demanded that the government compensate them for the destroyed properties. They also demanded a Rs1 crore compensation for the family of the deceased Rahul Fatangade.
The Maharashtra government has ordered a judicial probe and announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Fatangade's family.
Varsha Shilve, a resident of Vadubudruk village and from the Maratha community, alleged that the district administration had failed to provide enough security for the January 1 celebrations.
She also alleged that due to the lackadaisical attitude of the district administration outsiders sneaked into the village and instigated the violence.
Vadubudruk's villagers allege that the violence was triggered by the desecration of the samadhi of Govind Gaikwad, a Dalit icon.
The villagers have decided to contribute to reconstruct the samadhi and not allow outsiders to intervene in the matters of the villages.
Girish Bapat, Maharashtra Minister of Food and Civil Supplies, visited the family of Fatangade.
Bapat is a five-time MLA from Kasba Peeth constituency which falls in Pune district.
"Such incidents should not take place as they not only create unnecessary tension between communities but also widen the rift between them," he told India Today.
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