Thousands of Gowari community members marched to Samvidhan Square on Friday, demanding the immediate public release of the K L Wadne Committee’s report and the implementation of reservation for their community. The march started at Yeshwant Stadium and proceeded towards Tekdi Road, where it met a heavy police presence. The police halted the march to ensure that it did not lead to traffic disruptions as seen in previous protests held in January of this year. As the marchers reached Tekdi Road, police barricades were erected to halt their progress. This sparked a fierce demonstration as the protesters responded with loud slogans and chants. Despite some members attempting to breach the barricades, the extensive police presence effectively maintained order.

 

 

The crowd, which included a large number of women, protested on Tekdi Road for the whole day for the long-pending demand of reservation. The participants of the march donned yellow Dupattas and caps which created a vibrant sea of yellow as thousands gathered together at Tekdi Road. The protest was organised under the banner of the ‘Adiwasi Gond Gowari Jamat Samvidhanik Hakka Sangharsh Kruti Samiti,’ led by President Kailas Raut, Madhavrao Kohale, Ramdas Neware and others. Members of the Gowari community have been on a hunger strike at Samvidhan Square for the past few weeks. Some groups from the community visited the square to meet with their fellow protesters. After their meeting, some groups attempted to launch a chakka jam at Samvidhan Square. However, police present at the scene apprehended them and took them away in police jeeps. Kailas Raut, President of the Kruti Samiti, told ‘The Hitavada’ that the State Government constituted the K L Wadne Committee to understand the Supreme Court’s judgment and submit a report on how to grant reservations to the Gowari community. According to the Government Resolution, the last date for submitting the report was September 6. However, the committee has not yet submitted the report, and the government has granted a two-month extension to it.

 

Another member, Ramdas Neware, questioned why the government extended the period by two months when the code of conduct for the forthcoming Assembly Elections would soon be enforced. He stated that once the code of conduct is in force, the reservation decision would not be implemented. “The Government should immediately take steps to meet our demands based on the Supreme Court judgment,” he asserted. In the evening, a delegation of community members met with the District Collector and submitted a memorandum. As a representative of the government, Additional District Collector Tushar Thombre issued a letter to the delegation, stating that a meeting regarding the reservation issue for the Gowari community would be held at the Deputy Chief Minister’s office on September 30 at 1 pm, with relevant officers, the Tribal Commissioner, and the Secretary present. A delegation of 10 community members would be allowed to attend the meeting, the letter stated. After receiving the letter, the organisation leaders returned to Tekdi Road to read it aloud. They urged members to call off the protest and assured that the agitation at Samvidhan Square would continue. However, the protesters were unwilling to end the protest. The protest was called off around 7 pm after intervention by DCP Zone II Rahul Madne, DCP Special Branch Shweta Khedkar, and DCP Traffic Archit Chandak, who discussed the issue with the leaders.