Heirs of havaldar who fought Bhima Koregaon battle apply for caretaker status of the Vijay stambh
Vijay stambh (victory pillar) at Bhima Koregaon was erected by the British to commemorate the victory of their army comprising Mahars and other communities over the Peshwas in 1818.
Balasaheb Anandrao Jamadar (Malvadkar) submitted an application on December 4, before the government constituted Bhima Koregaon commission of inquiry, that he be appointed as the interim caretaker of the Bhima Koregaon Vijay stambh (obelisk).
In April 2018, the Jamadar family had filed a civil suit against three parties, the state government; Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar research and training institute (Barti), Pune, an institute under the department of social justice; and the Bhima Koregaon Vijay Stambh Saurakshan and Savardhan Samiti, based in Dombivili.
The suit was filed by Subedar Major/ Honorary Captain Balasaheb Anandrao Jamadar (Malvadkar), 53, of New Sangvi; Namdev Gulabrao Jamadar (Malvadkar), 63 and his brother Ashok, 60, both residing near the Vijay stambh.
All three claim to be heirs of Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar (Malvadkar), a havaldar in the British Army who fought the battle of Bhima Koregaon in 1818, in which the British had defeated the Peshwas.
The affidavit states, “It is pertinent to note that at present the said Vijay stambh and the surrounding property is in custody of the heir of original Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar (Malvadkar) i.e., Subedar Major/ Hon Captain Balasaheb Anandrao Jamadar (Malvadkar) one of the present applicants.”
Malvadkar and three others, including Milind Ekbote, president, Samasta Hindu Aghadi; Jayesh Prakash Shinde, designation, and Somnath Kishan Bhandare, president, Dharamaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Smruti Samiti, in their plea before the commission stated that “vijay stambh” was being misused for performing religious ceremonies and worshipping thereby violating the conditions of the grant, hence, it be handed over to the second Grenadiers of the Indian Army having their headquarters at Jabalpur and administrative camp in Pune for maintenance and upkeep and Malvadkar be appointed as interim caretaker,” the application stated.
The stambh area located at Perne Phata in Bhima Koregaon village has been cordoned off with armed policemen on standby round the clock. The entire area has been brought under close circuit television (CCTV) surveillance and a dedicated police outpost with direct communication links with the Pune rural police control room and the state director general of police (DGP) control office has been commissioned.
Referring to the surge in crowds at the obelisk, the affidavit states, “Ever since 2014/2015 more and more people have started pouring in on January 1 to pay obeisance at the stambh due to the propaganda. In the name of accommodating these people, the local revenue authorities have not only started usurping the adjoining property with standing crops of the applicant Jamadar, but have also started tampering with the revenue records. Apart from the revenue authority, an unregistered local body has been formed by local Dalits who have started illegally allotting stalls with occupancy charges around the said stambh, the property of which is in the possession and owner of the applicant –Jamadar. These local trespassers are now claiming the occupancy rights of the said property.”
The applicants have further requested the commission that on the basis of the contemporaneous record, the commission may kindly submit an interim report in this regard.
A civil court in 2017 had rejected an application filed by members of the Jamadar (Malvadkar) family who had sought an order of permanent injunction, to restrain the state government from evicting them from the Bhima Koregaon vijay stambh land. Joint civil judge CP Bhagwat in an oral order informed the Jamadar family that their application stood rejected, and that they do not hold possession of the land. However, the court extended the status quo in the case for a one-month period, so that the applicants could file an appeal in a higher court.
Vijay stambh (victory pillar) at Bhima Koregaon was erected by the British to commemorate the victory of their army comprising Mahars and other communities over the Peshwas in 1818. Babasaheb Ambedkar visited the site on January 1, 1927, after which the obelisk resurrected the memory of the battle and made it a rallying point for Dalit assertion and pride.
