MUMBAI: The cultural capital of Maharashtra is not at peace. On January 3, the bust of legendary Marathi playwright Ram Ganesh Gadkari at Sambhaji Park was vandalised and thrown into a river. On January 5, 2004, the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) was vandalised and over 1,000 ancient books were destroyed. The Sambhaji Brigade claimed responsibility for both the acts. After the vandalism at BORI, many had described it as the act of cultural terrorism.
In 2009, Marathi author Anand Yadav had to step down as president of Marathi Literary Meet after a controversy surrounding his book on Sant Tukaram. The peaceful Warkari community was agitated over his book. He apologised, retracted them, but it didn’t work.
In August 2013, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead while he was on his usual morning walk. He was known for his anti-superstitions movement Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti.
Pune has also witnessed several bomb blasts in past decade, and SIMI and IM operatives have been picked up from the city.
So what has gone wrong with the city?
“Lots of people here are dedicated to their cause, their ideology, to society. That is why acts of intolerance like these happen,” said former bureaucrat Avinash Dharmadhikari, who now trains youth for civil services exams.
Aniruddha Deshpade, Akhil Bharatiya Sampark Pramukh of RSS, said intolerance in the city is on rise since the Narendra Modi government came to power a the Centre. “Sambhaji Brigade is politically oriented organisation. Their ideology is based on hate and vandalism. FTII students and pro-Naxal groups’ activities see the new government as a threat to their existence. SIMI and IM are opposed to idea of India.”