History | Uneasy Echoes of a Sensitive History: Self-immolation Attempt in the Assembly, Raja Dhale’s Fiery Essay, and the Context of Entry Ban at the Legislature

SamajSamvad | July 19 | Camil Parkhe

(History) Once, two Buddhist youths named Gawli and More from Mumbai’s Matunga Labour Camp created a political storm in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. As India was preparing to celebrate 25 years of independence in 1972, these youths were gripped by anger and despair.

(History) On August 15, 1972, as the nation marked its Silver Jubilee, atrocities against Dalits were ongoing. In Bawda village (Pune), Dalit settlements were boycotted. In Parbhani, a Dalit woman was stripped. In protest, Gawli and More poured kerosene from their mouths in the assembly gallery and ignited it.

(History) They were immediately arrested and charged with breach of privilege. This historical incident led to Dalit youth in Mumbai declaring that day as ‘Black Independence Day’.

The weekly magazine Sadhana published a special issue titled “25 Years of Dalit Freedom”, which featured a powerful and provocative essay by Raja Dhale. That essay caused a political stir and brought the Dalit Panther movement, along with leaders like Dhale and Namdeo Dhasal, into the spotlight.

Sadhana’s current editor Vinod Shirsath noted that Dhale’s piece “Black Independence Day” is one of the ten most powerful Marathi essays of the last fifty years. The essay bitterly critiques the post-independence Indian polity, accusing native rule of being worse than colonial oppression.

Dhale wrote:

“Is this democracy, where 105 martyrs were needed for a united Maharashtra? Were these sacrifices made by the British or our own people? MLAs come begging for votes, but when people demand justice, they don’t even meet them — only the police are sent. Then, if people pour out their anguish in flames, is that a crime?”

A few years later, another young man jumped from the visitors’ gallery in protest. That same man — Bannarao Dhakne from Ahmednagar — later became an MLA and eventually the Speaker of the Assembly.

Following recent disruptions in the Vidhan Bhavan, Speaker Rahul Narwekar has announced a blanket ban on visitors during the legislative session, making such protests unlikely in the future.

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