What followed aftermath the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle is an eyeopener for the people for a number of reasons. The RSS/BJP failed to create the rift between the Marathas/OBCs and the Buddhists (former Mahars). This is an indication that the OBCs are maturing to some extent to understand the social realities in India. There were some positive articles in the newspapers highlighting that the Bhima Koregaon battle was not a nationalist battle, but the battle had a strong caste underpinning it. The Mahar-Nags were reduced to less than human beings and they destroyed the rule of the Brahmin/Peshvas in this battle. This is the underlying theme of the battle.

Some of the newspapers tried to give it a nationalist colour and some of them tried to make the false claim that the battle was between the Marathas and the Mahars. Of course, this is not true, but the Brahminical mind kept on harping this note through its media. Now that the things are settling, a few things are becoming clear. There are many organisations among the OBCs which are beginning to see through the Brahminical game of playing one community against another. Two Brahminical figures emerged as the key accused in the entire episode: Ekbote and Bhide. They instigated the Marathas of the Vadu Budruk to desecrate the tomb of Govind Mahar Gaikwad who performed the last rites of the great king Sambhaji. The attack on the Bhima Koregaon devotees was preplanned is clear from the pattern of violence.

What followed after the 1st of January is remarkable, the Ambedkarites came on the streets to protest the attack on their dignity. The battle of Bhima Koregaon is the example of 500 can destroy 28,000 if the battle is for justice and nothing else. The battle was the battle for justice, and it was not for wealth or power. This the Mahar-Nags who participated in the battle ensured dignity and confidence among the people for generations to come. That the Bhima Koregaon has now become the important symbol of the assertion throughout India is also remarkable. The OBCs have been fooled, as pointed by the great Mahatma Jotiba Phule, by the Brahmins in the name of artificial religion called Hinduism, and they are in awe of the Brahmins, but the battle proved that they are just mortals, and mean to that extent who thrive on other people’s wealth and labor. If more and more OBCs are awakened to this fact that there is nothing spiritual about Brahminism, and that it is all about governing them through religion and religious myths and stories, they will revolt.

In fact, the revolt is already there and it will be consolidated with time. If the Brahmins do not give their privileges voluntarily and accept the democracy as the fact of Indian life, they might see a very gross and violent opposition to them is clear from the way events are unfolding in this country. The Marathas in Maharashtra have embraced a new religion and some of them have become Buddhists recently. There is a strong upsurge in the social movement of the OBCs and they will continue to leave Brahminical Hinduism. The Ambedkarite communities throughout India have displayed an ability to mobilise their communities throughout India. The incidences of Bhima Koregaon have further solidified their power to mobilise on a shorter notice. They need to act decisively now and get united politically. This is not a distant dream as the leaders are maturing. If they can even start coming together, not necessarily under one banner, but as allies with their interests intact for the larger goal of winning the political power, they could do it easily. Of course, the EVMs should not be tempered.

With OBCs coming to their conscious recently, rising assertion of Ambedkarites throughout India, and bruised and beaten minorities in the game of Brahmins through riots, the coalition against the Brahmins is easily possible and the Brahminism can be easily destroyed from this country once and forever!

Author – Mangesh Dahiwale