Mob Violence in Gajapur, near Vishalgad fort

‘Couldn't Recognise Our Own House’: Kolhapur Villagers Recount Communal Violence https://thewire.in/communalism/maharashtra-kolhapur-communal-violence-witnesses-recount Sukanya Shantha Police have arrested 21 people following the violence. Former Rajya Sabha MP Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati, who had called for the foot march that is believed to have triggered the violence, is also named in an FIR. Several organisations, mainly right-wing groups, joined Sambhaji Raje’s clarion call of “chalo Vishalgad” on July 14. However, even before Sambhaji Raje and his supporters reached the Vishalgad fort, violence broke out in nearby villages. One of the worst-hit was Gajapur village, located around three kilometres away from the base of the fort. The unruly men, wearing saffron gamchas and wielding axes and bamboo sticks, entered the village and ransacked only those houses that belonged to the Muslim community, one of the victims told The Wire. In December 2022, when the state government had issued demolition notices under section 21 (2) of the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Remains Act, 1960, a few residents approached the Bombay high court. In all, seven structures are now protected from demolition by a stay order of the high court. These houses and establishments belong to both the Muslim and Hindu community. Sambhaji Raje claimed that the protest never had a communal hue and that it was being made to look as if those encroaching on the fort only belonged to the minority community. Fadnavis said that his first priority was to restore peace to the area but added that since the encroachments were on a fort built by Shivaji Maharaj, MVA leaders needed to clarify whether they stood with the encroachers or Shivaji. “The encroachments have to be removed as per the wish of Shiv bhakts,” he stated.