Ex-HC judge condemns jailing of Bhima Koregaon activists

The 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence has only increased the popularity of the Bhima Koregaon victory celebrations, retired Karnataka High Court judge H N Naga Mohan Das has said.

Participating in the 203rd historic Bhima Koregaon commemoration event organised virtually by the Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar Studies and Research Centre of Bangalore University, Justice Das on Wednesday condemned the term ‘Urban Naxals’ used on participants of the 2018 incident and the continued imprisonment of some of them.

“We can’t make history by forgetting history,” he said. “Through Koregaon event, we need to reminisce the sacrifice of the brave Mahar soldiers who fought against the Peshwa army protesting exploitation.

BR Ambedkar was phenomenal in bringing out this hidden historic event to the forefront.”

S Siddaraju, Deputy Commissioner of Police, City Armed Reserve (CAR), said: “Everybody agrees the oppressed classes are the original descendants of this country. Across history, Dalits have been sidelined against their achievements and atrocities.”