This short documentary tries to trace the personal and collective journeys of artists of Kabir Kala Manch, a People’s cultural troupe consisting of youth from marginalized backgrounds, who sing songs of resistance in the Vidrohi Shahiri tradition. This film profiles these artists and their lived experiences in the context of an unjust and hostile system they are struggling against. Watch video
This short documentary tries to trace the personal and collective journeys of artists of Kabir Kala Manch, a People’s cultural troupe consisting of youth from marginalized backgrounds, who sing songs of resistance in the Vidrohi Shahiri tradition. This film profiles these artists and their lived experiences in the context of an unjust and hostile system they are struggling against.
Video Statement by Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor (Sep 5, 2020)
hindi/ english subtitles | 2:20min | 2020
Kabir Kala Manch activists Sagar Gorkhe & Ramesh Gaichor have alleged that they’re being forced by the NIA to give confessional statements, claiming they are a part of Maoist organization. The two refused, and were arrested in The Bhima Koregaon case today. Their statement was recorded on Sep 5, 2020. Watch their video statement
Who are the three Kabir Kala Manch artistes arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case?
12/09/2020
Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff
The National Investigation Agency arrested Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor and Jyoti Jagtap from Pune on Monday and Tuesday.
In 2002, as a 19-year-old student in Pune’s Wadia College, Ramesh Gaichor was disturbed by the deadly communal violence in Gujarat that had claimed over 1,000 lives. Passionate about poetry and theatre, he soon found an outlet for expressing his anxieties: the Kabir Kala Manch, a cultural organisation founded by artiste Amarnath Chautaliya in response to the Gujarat riots. Read more
Kabir Kala Manch founded in early 2000s has been at the receiving end of the state. As it grew in popularity its members faced incarceration for long years and continued oppression under successive governments.
“I remember it was a rainy day. I was about 23 then. When I heard the group performing in our basti (informal urban cluster), I had goosebumps! I had never heard songs that spoke of the struggles of women, Dalits and the poor. I was enthralled.” Read more
Hany Babu, Sagar Gorkhe, Jyoti Jagtap, Ramesh Gaichor
Plan to end Modi raj with Rajiv Gandhi type incident and other reasons NIA Court refused bail to 4 accused [read orders]
22/02/2022
Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi
Special NIA Judge rejected regular bail applications of Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor, Jyoti Jagtap and Associate Professor Hany Babu.
The Special Court under National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act rejected bail applications of four accused in the Bhima Koregaon case of 2018 relying upon a letter written by the accused which mentioned about ending the Modi-raj in the country. Read more
No bail; ‘prima facie evidence Hany Babu part of Maoist outfit’: NIA Court
22/02/2022
The Indian Express / by Express News Service
“The same can be said to be sufficient to prima facie establish that the applicant was instrumental for the release of convict G N Saibaba, who was convicted for the activities of the CPI (M),” special Judge Dinesh E Kothalikar said in the detailed order made available on Monday.
IN ITS detailed order rejecting bail to Delhi University associate professor Hany Babu, a special court has said that there is prima facie evidence that he was ‘actively involved’ in activities of banned organisation, CPI (Maoist). Read more
No hesitation to prima facie conclude that applicant was actively involved in activities of banned organisation: NIA Court
21/02/2022
Free Press Journal / by Staff Reporter
A special court that last week denied bail to Delhi University’s associate professor Hany Babu, an accused in the Elgar Parishad – Bhima Koregaon case, has said in its detailed order that if material on record is taken into consideration, there would be no hesitation to prima facie conclude that he was actively involved in activities of the banned organisation. Read more
Special NIA Court rejects former CM Fadnavis’ statement as evidence, denies bail to three Bhima Koregaon accused
19/02/2022
The Leaflet / by The Leaflet
A special National Investigative Agency (NIA) court denied bail on Monday to three persons accused in the Bhima Koregaon (Elgar Parishad) case and declined to consider former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ statement in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. The court, while denying bail, maintained that the accused hatched a “serious conspiracy” to create unrest in the country.
The three accused — Jyoti Jagtap, Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor — are musical performers, anti-caste activists and members of the cultural troupe Kabir Kala Manch. Read more
Special NIA Court rejects former CM Fadnavis’ statement as evidence, denies bail to three Bhima Koregaon accused
19/02/2022
The Leaflet / by The Leaflet
A special National Investigative Agency (NIA) court denied bail on Monday to three persons accused in the Bhima Koregaon (Elgar Parishad) case and declined to consider former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ statement in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. The court, while denying bail, maintained that the accused hatched a “serious conspiracy” to create unrest in the country. Read more
CM’s Statement On Presence Of Crowd With Saffron Flags During Bhima Koregaon Protest ‘Extraneous’: NIA Court While Rejecting Bail
17/02/2022
Live Law / by Sahrmeen Hakim
Fadnavis spoke about the unexpected presence of over 200-300 people holding saffron flags on the day of violence.
The NIA court has declined to consider Maharashtra’s ex-Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s statement in the State Legislative Assembly on the issue of caste violence at Bhima Koregaon while rejecting bail applications of three accused. The then Chief Minister had spoken on the floor of the house about the presence of around 200-300 people holding saffron flags, sloganeering at the place of the caste violence on January 1, 2018. Read more
Accused wanted to create unrest in country, says NIA court
17/02/2022
Hindustan Times / by Vinay Dalvi
Though the verdict was pronounced on Monday, the detailed order became available late in the evening on Wednesday.
“From the documents and letters placed on record, prima facie it can be gathered that the applicants along with other members of the banned organisation hatched a serious conspiracy to create unrest in the entire country and to overpower the government politically,” the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has said, while rejecting bail pleas of Kabir Kala Manch members Jyoti Jagtap, Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor. Read more
Video Statement by Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor (Sep 5, 2020)
hindi (en subtitles) | 2:20min | 2020
Before arresting them, NIA allegedly offered to let off Kabir Kala Manch musicians Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor if they admitted to Maoist links, to indict activists arrested in the #BhimaKoregaon case. Watch video
Special Judge DE Kothalikar rejected bail applications of Kabir Kala Manch members Jyoti Jagtap, Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor and associate professor Hany Babu.
A Special Court in Maharashtra on Monday rejected the bail plea of four accused in the Bhima Koregaon case of 2018 being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The members of the allegedly banned organization Kabir Kala Manch along with Babu were arrested by the NIA in 2020. Read more
Special NIA Court Refuses Bail To DU Associate Prof Hany Babu And Three Kabir Kala Manch Members
14/02/2022
Live Law / by Sharmee Hakim
Special Judge DE Kothalikar refused bail to Delhi University associate professor – Hany Babu, and members of cultural group Kabir Kala Manch members – Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor and Jyoti Jagtap. The National Investigation Agency arrested Babu in July 2020 and the remaining three in September 2020. Read more
Hany Babu, three Kabir Kala Manch members denied bail in Bhima-Koregaon case
14/02/2022
Free Press Journal / by Bhavna Uchil
A special court on Monday denied bail to four accused in the Elgar Parishad – Bhima Koregaon case – Delhi University associate professor Hany Babu and Kabir Kala Manch members Sagar Gorkhe, Jyoti Jagtap and Ramesh Gaichor.
Gorkhe and Gaichor had sought bail on the grounds that they had been prosecuted in a similar case in 2014, in which they had secured bail from the Supreme Court. Read more
Criticism of government, PM Modi not sedition, UAPA: Accused to NIA court
Criticism of government, PM Modi not sedition, UAPA: Accused to NIA court
24/11/2021
Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi
Accused Ramesh Gaichor and Sagar Gorkhe had been arrested in 2020 by the NIA for allegedly making inflammatory speeches leading to the riots of Bhima Koregaon in 2018.
Ramesh Gaichor and Sagar Gorkhe, accused in the Bhima Koregaon case of 2018, have approached the Special Court under the National Investigation Act seeking bail. Read more
Within my rights to speak against political party, its leader: Elgar Parishad accused in bail plea
24/11/2021
India Today / by Vidya
Two accused in the Elgar Parishad case of 2018 have approached the special court dealing with National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases, seeking bail.
The two, Ramesh Gaichor and Sagar Gorkhe, are alleged to be members of the banned organisation Kabir Kala Manch. They were arrested by the NIA in 2020 and charged with sedition under the Indian Penal Code and under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly giving inflammatory performances at the Elgar Parishad event organised in the heart of Pune city, which led to the riots at Bhima Koregaon in 2018. Read more
Milind Teltumbde’s alleged Pune links / Elgar Parishad deny links with Maoists
Slain Maoist leader Milind Teltumbde’s Pune links include ‘organising Naxal camp’
16/11/2021
The Indian Express / by Chandan Haygunde
Records with the Maharashtra Police also show that Milind Teltumbde was involved in recruiting city youths for the Maoist movement.
From organising a 15-day residential ‘Naxal camp’ in Pune, recruiting city youths for the Maoist movement and being named an accused in the Elgaar Parishad case, top CPI-Maoist leader Milind Teltumbde, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in Gadchiroli, was known to be active in Pune and surrounding areas, as per Maharashtra Police records. Read more
Who was Milind Teltumbde, Maoist leader killed in Gadchiroli encounter
14/11/2021
The Indian Express / by Vivek Deshpande
“Teltumbde was the main financier of the Bhima-Koregaon programme organised in Pune three years ago,” said a former senior police officer.
Top Maoist leader Milind Teltumbde, who had a reward of Rs 50 lakh on his head, was among the 26 Naxals killed in a fierce encounter with the police in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on Saturday. Read more
‘They want fascist forces to reign’: Retired judges who organised Pune’s Elgaar Parishad speak out
01/09/2018
Scroll.in / by Aarefa Johari
Justices BG Kolse-Patil and PB Sawant say they were the main organisers and sole funders of the event held a day before violence broke out at Bhima Koregaon.
According to the Pune police, the event was organised by members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), with the aim of “spreading rebellious thoughts”, instigating violence at Bhima Koregaon and establishing a nationwide “anti-fascist front” to “wage war against the government”. Read more
They Don’t Want us to Sing our Songs, Read our Poems
Moved by the death of anti-caste activist Vira Sathidar, Ramesh Gaichor, an Elgar case accused, had penned a poem in Taloja prison, but the jail chief found it ‘objectionable’ for circulation. Gaichor has moved the court.
Civil and Sessions Court, complaining against one of its prisoners, Ramesh Gaichor. Gaichor, one of the 16 political prisoners arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case, had written a poem as a tribute to Vira Sathidar, a committed anti-caste activist and an Ambedkarite, who died of COVID-19 in April 2021. Read more
Video: One Year Of Incarceration – Free Sagar Gorkhe, Jyoti Jagtap and Ramesh Gaichor
The crushing power of street performances from the margins:
A profile of Kabir Kala Manch’s Sagar Gorkhe, Jyoti Jagtap and Ramesh Gaichor
By The Polis Project and maraa
Kabir Kala Manch
Kabir Kala Manch (KKM) is an urban grass-roots performance group at the helm of a socio-political movement rooted in cultural struggles of the most marginalized communities in India. KKM was formed by working-class youth from low-income Dalit and Bahujan caste communities in Pune as a response to the 2002 pogrom in Gujarat. Read more
