Dalit writers forced to leave literary meet over Shivaji remarks

Noted Dalit writer Pradnya Pawar and Dalit scholar Raosaheb Kasabe were reportedly forced to leave a Marathi literary meet over their “objectionable” comments on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The meet was organised at Patan in adjoining Satara district by Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad and the alleged incident took place on Sunday when a mob asked the duo to leave the event for “hurting” the sentiments of the Maratha community with their remarks on the 17th century warrior king.

Kasabe was invited as a special guest, while Pawar was nominated president of the two-day event which was dedicated to Dalit icon Babasaheb Ambedkar.

“The first day (Saturday) of the meet was quite good as I and Kasabe delivered our speeches and received an overwhelming response from the attendees. However, on the second day, when the event was underway, a mob of over 100 people came to the venue and asked us to leave.

“The organisers asked us to pack our bags and requested us to leave citing security reasons,” Pawar said, adding that they left the venue immediately.

She wondered if their speeches were objectionable, why was there no immediate uproar. “We were told by the mob that we were Dalits and we should not speak anything (on Marathas).