PUDR / by People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR)
PUDR condemns the arrest of Kranthi Chaitanya, Vice-President of the Civil Liberties Committee (Andhra Pradesh unit), and fellow activist Mohan Krishna on 9 January 2026, and their subsequent remand to judicial custody on 10 January. The FIR, based on a complaint filed by the President of the Sanatana Dharma Protection Committee, a resident of Tirupati, accuses them of erecting “provocative banners.”
…
The sections invoked in this case are non-bailable and carry a minimum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment. The arrests, coupled with the FIR’s expansive use of criminal conspiracy provisions, signal yet another attack on activists and civil liberties organisations, many of which are already under sustained pressure following the Bhima Koregaon arrests. Read full statement
India’s civic space is still rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. The authorities persist in targeting activists, journalists, students and civil society through the misuse of draconian laws, arbitrary detention, censorship and the criminalisation of dissent. Over the past year, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), counterterrorism provisions and public order regulations have been consistently deployed to silence government critics, restrict civil society, and deter peaceful protests. Read more
Scholar Anand Teltumbde examines a country driven to a dead end, where the opposition is silent and citizens have been terrorised into normalcy
…
In an interview with Lounge, he discusses the writing of his prison memoir, why class trumps caste within the confines of prison, and the pitfalls of a caste census. Read more
▪ The Feared – Conversations with Eleven Political Prisoners Author: Neeta Kolhatkar Publishing Date: Dec 2024 Publisher: S&S India Pages: 272 Read more/order
▪ From Phansi Yard: My Year with the Women of Yerawada Author: Sudha Bhardwaj Publishing Date: Oct 2023 Publisher: Juggernaut Pages: 216 Read more/order
▪ How Long Can the Moon Be Caged? Voices of Indian Political Prisoners Authors: Suchitra Vijayan and Francesca Recchia Publishing Date: Aug 2023 Publisher: Pluto Press Pages: 247 Read more / order
Members of Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry visit ‘Jaystambh’ with Elgaar Parishad activist
Members of Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry visit ‘Jaystambh’ with Elgaar Parishad activist
10/01/2026
The Indian Express / by Chandan Haygunde
Activist Potdar is among the organisers of the Elgaar Parishad—a conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of battle of Koregaon Bhima.
Members of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry, along with activist Harshali Potdar and lawyers representing different parties, visited the ‘Jaystambh’ at Perne village in Pune district on Friday. Read more
If Sharad Pawar wrote any letter seeking SIT probe into Koregaon Bhima riot, it must be with CMO: Uddhav
09/01/2026
Times of India /by Vishwas Kothari
Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray filed an affidavit with the Koregaon Bhima inquiry commission in Pune stating that NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s letter, if any, written to him in his capacity as the CM in Jan 2020, and demanding an SIT probe into the Jan 1, 2018, riot at Koregaon Bhima, has to be with the CMO now. Read more
CMO should have Sharad Pawar’s letter blaming Fadnavis govt for Koregaon Bhima violence: Uddhav Thackeray
09/01/2026
The Indian Express / by Chandan Haygunde
Ambedkar’s lawyer Kiran Kadam said he would be soon filing a fresh application requesting the commission to issue a notice to the CMO for producing the said letter.
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray submitted an affidavit before the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry through his lawyer Asim Sarode on Thursday, in connection with an application filed by Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar. Read more
Bhima Koregaon violence probe: Sharad Pawar’s letters should be with CMO, Uddhav Thackeray tells inquiry panel
08/01/2026
Midday / by mid-day online correspondent
The commission had issued a notice to Thackeray in October 2025, asking him to produce documents and letters allegedly submitted by Sharad Pawar during Uddhav Thackeray’s tenure as Maharashtra Chief Minister
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray has informed the inquiry commission probing the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence that certain letters written by NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar should still be available with the current Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), reported the PTI. Read more
Bhima Koregaon 2018. Graphic by Arun Ferreira & Vernon Gonsalves
In Photos: Lakhs Gather at ‘Jaystambh’ to Mark the Anniversary of Battle of Bhima Koregaon
02/01/2026
The Wire / by Atul Howale
On January 1, 2018, violence had broken out on the same anniversary, at Bhima Koregaon. Several writers, academics, lawyers and other intellectuals were arrested in connection with the case.
On Thursday, January 1, 2026, lakhs of followers gathered around the ‘Jaystambh’ in Pune, Maharashtra, to mark the 208th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. Every year, it is customary for Ambedkarite followers from Maharashtra and across different parts of the country to visit the site. Read more
Bhima Koregaon, Dalit Assertion, and the Politics of Public Memory
02/01/2026
The Mooknayak / by Dr. Vikrant Kishore
Bhima Koregaon is not about settling the past. It is about insisting on a present in which Dalit dignity, memory, and presence are taken seriously.
Bhima Koregaon occupies a distinctive place in contemporary Dalit public life, not because it offers a settled historical consensus, but because it allows Dalits to gather, remember, and assert themselves in public without mediation. Each year on 1 January, large numbers of Dalits travel to the village near Pune to commemorate the 1818 battle and to mark what has come to be known as Shaurya Diwas. For many observers, the scale and persistence of this gathering remain puzzling. Read more
Why 1818 Bhima Koregaon battle marks a flashpoint in 2026 Maharashtra civic polls
01/01/2026
The Indian Express / by Zeeshan Shaikh
Some parties are keen to be seen at this January 1 anniversary event during the election season, viewing it as a symbol of Dalit pride, constitutional values and social justice, while some others would stay away from it
As political parties in Maharashtra intensify their campaigns for the January 15 municipal corporation elections, a major public event is set to take place at Bhima Koregaon, a small village near Pune, on Thursday, which would be one of the state’s largest and most politically sensitive gatherings.
Every year on January 1, lakhs of Dalits assemble at Bhima Koregaon to mark the anniversary of the 1818 battle that they regard as a historic assertion against caste oppression. Read more
Lakhs Gather At Jaystambh To Commemorate Battle Of Bhima Koregaon
01/01/2026
Free Press Journal / by FPJ Web Deshk
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar and many other leaders paid tributes at the Jaystambh
As in previous years, lakhs of people gathered at the Jaystambh in Perne village at Bhima Koregaon in Pune district on Thursday to pay tribute on the 208th anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon. Read more
How Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s 1927 Bhima Koregaon Visit Turned New Year’s Day into Shaurya Diwas for the Bahujan
31/12/2025
The Mooknayak / by Geeta Sunil Pillai
What was once a marginal British commemoration morphed into an annual Dalit-Bahujan ritual. Followers began gathering at the Vijay Stambh every January 1, honoring the fallen with floral tributes, “Jai Bhim” chants, and recitations of the Constitution’s Preamble.
As the clock strikes midnight tonight, millions across India will usher in 2026 not just with fireworks and celebrations, but with a profound act of remembrance and resistance. For the Bahujan community, encompassing Dalits, Adivasis, and other marginalized groups, January 1 is no ordinary New Year’s Day. It is Shaurya Diwas, or Valour Day, commemorating the 1818 Battle of Bhima Koregaon and the transformative legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Read more
Ambedkar, among others, at the Vijay Stambhain Bhima Koregaon, January 1, 1927. Pic credits: Wikipedia
Hany Babu entered Navi Mumbai’s Taloja prison in July 2020. Anand Teltumbde followed the same year. Babu spent five years inside before being released on bail; Teltumbde was released on bail; Teltumbde was released in 2022 after spending about two-and-a-half years in prison. Neither has faced trial.
According to the India Justice Report 2025, undertrials now account for around 75% of India’s prison population. Read more
Beating Brahminism The Way 500 Soldiers of Bhima Koregaon Did
29/12/2025
Velivada / by Velivada
For most of the world, January 1 represents the start of a new calendar year. But for the Dalit-Bahujan community in India, January 1 is Shaurya Din (Day of Valour). It marks the anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon (1818), where 500 soldiers of the Mahar community, fighting under the British East India Company, delivered a crushing blow to the 28,000-strong army of Peshwa Baji Rao II.
This was not merely a military skirmish between a colonial power and a local kingdom. It was a war of liberation – a historic reckoning where the oppressed took up arms against the very architects of their degradation. To understand the victory of the 500 is to understand the blueprint for beating Brahminism today. Read more
The Shaurya Saga: Pune Prepares for 20 Lakh Visitors at Bhima Koregaon!
28/12/2025
Pune Mirror / by Aashlesha Kakde
Pune is poised to experience an unprecedented influx of people this New Year’s Day. As the city readies itself for the 209th Bhima Koregaon Vijay Stambh Shaurya Day on January 1, 2026, the local administration is making every effort to ensure that the event at Perne village is truly remarkable.
With an astounding 20 lakh attendees anticipated to flock to the memorial, here’s your comprehensive guide to the happenings on the ground! Read more
Backlog of cases in country’s courts would take several hundred years to clear, experts say
The frustration and weariness crept into Sanjay Goel’s voice as he stared at the giant stack of handwritten court documents in front of him.
He was on one of his countless visits from Vancouver to Mumbai, India, to fight for justice in the brutal killing of his mother and was struggling to describe the excruciating delays in criminal court proceedings.
…
Mumbai activist Sudhir Dhawale is familiar with the pain of waiting for a judgment.
He sat in jail for 6½ years, two of which were in solitary confinement, waiting for bail. Read more
My Imprisonment Part of Scheme to Suppress Dissent, Intimidate Academics: DU Prof Hany Babu
20/12/2025
The Hindustan Gazette / by Waquar Hasan
Delhi University professor and civil rights activist Hany Babu, who was recently granted bail in the Bhima Koregaon case, has said that his imprisonment was part of a larger scheme to suppress dissent and intimidate academics, intellectuals, and activists who raise critical concerns.
…
“Five years inside the prison can actually destroy a person. The only way to withstand this is by doing positive things and refusing to bow down,” he said. “I’m a born Muslim, but I was not religious before my arrest. It was when I was arrested that I realized how vulnerable we all are, and that it is only a supreme power which maybe can kind of save you.” Read more
Prison, Pandemic and Survival: How Hany Babu’s Freedom Was Curtailed Long Before His Arrest
17/12/2025
The Wire / by Skanya Shantha
After more than five years in jail, academic Hany Babu recounts how arrest, illness and neglect reshaped his life, scholarship and understanding of the prison system.
…
During his imprisonment, Babu and his co-accused in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case waged numerous battles—not only for their own survival, but for the dignity of all prisoners. They fought for better food, adequate medical care and other basic rights, securing small but hard-won victories along the way. Read more
Gadling, a well-known criminal lawyer in Nagpur, was once a cultural activist, who sang songs of political resistance. The 11- minutes- long rendition tells you what it means to be incarcerated in Indian prisons. From food, water, to medical care, everything is a struggle, Gadling narrates. The song was recorded by one of Gadling’s colleagues and was made available to The Wire after obtaining his consent.
Bail ! Gautam with his partner Sabha Husain. May 2024.
Bombay High Court allows Gautam Navlakha to return to Delhi, relaxes restrictive bail condition in Bhima Koregaon Case
17/12/2025
SabrangIndia / by SabrangIndia
Court recognises financial hardship, prolonged trial delay, and the human cost of territorial bail restrictions on a 73-year-old activist; NIA conditions accepted to ensure continued oversight
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday, December 17, relaxed the bail conditions imposed on human rights activist and Elgar Parishad–Bhima Koregaon case accused Gautam Navlakha, permitting him to relocate from Mumbai to his permanent residence in Delhi. The relief was granted by a division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Shyam C. Chandak, which acknowledged the personal, financial, and social hardship Navlakha has faced since his release on bail. Read more
Bombay High Court allows Gautam Navlakha to move to Delhi till trial ends
17/12/2025
Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi
Navlakha was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in December 2023 with the condition that he could not leave the Court’s jurisdiction without prior permission.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday permitted human rights activist Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, to shift base to New Delhi for the pendency of the trial. [Gautam Navlakha v. National Investigation Authority] Read more
Bombay High Court allows Gautam Navlakha to move to Delhi while on bail
17/12/2025
Maktoobmedia.com / by Maktoob Staff
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday allowed human rights activist Gautam Navlakha, who is out on bail in the Bhima Koregaon UAPA case, to shift and reside in New Delhi during the pendency of the case.
The human rights activist was, however, directed not to leave Delhi without the trial court’s permission and will have to surrender his passport to the concerned authorities. Read more
Bombay High Court allows Gautam Navlakha to shift from Mumbai to Delhi during pendency of Elgaar Parishad case
17/12/2025
The Indian Express / by Omkar Gokhale
The Bombay High Court cited Gautam Navlakha’s age and financial struggles as reasons for relaxing his bail conditions in the Elgaar Parishad case.
The Bombay High Court Wednesday allowed human rights activist Gautam Navlakha to shift and reside in New Delhi during the pendency of the Elgaar Parishad case, in which he is an accused out on bail. Navlakha is, however, directed not to leave Delhi without the trial court’s permission, and he will have to surrender his passport to the authorities concerned. Read more
Bombay HC says it is inclined to allow Gautam Navlakha to return to Delhi
16/12/2025
Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff
The bench noted that the journalist and activist is 73 years old and lives away from his family.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday indicated verbally that it was inclined to allow Gautam Navlakha, one of 16 persons accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case, to move to his home in Delhi until the trial commences, Live Law reported.
The bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Shyam Chandak, said that the 73-year-old journalist and activist is not a flight risk and has been complying with bail conditions, PTI reported. Read more
Bombay High Court indicates it may allow Gautam Navlakha to shift to Delhi until Bhima Koregaon trial begins
16/12/2025
Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi
A bail condition restricts Navlakha from leaving the jurisdiction of Bombay High Court.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday indicated that it will permit human rights activist Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon–Elgar Parishad case, to shift to his Delhi home until the trial in the case commences. Read more
“Person At This Age Would Be Lost Away From Family”: Bombay High Court Orally Remarks In Gautam Navlakha’s Plea To Shift Back To Delhi
16/12/2025
Live Law / by Narsi Benwal
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday indicated its inclination to permit rights activist Gautam Navlakha to relocate to Delhi, while hearing his plea seeking relaxation of a bail condition that restrains him from leaving Mumbai in the Elgar Parishad–Bhima Koregaon case.
The matter was heard by a Division Bench of Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Shyam Chandak. Read more
