Gowari Shaheed Din today: Saga of neglect continues
| Date :23-Nov-2020 |
By Kartik Lokhande :
Morris College T-Point is a historic location in city. Over the years, it has been a witness to some good occasions and some dark moments. On November 23, 1994, it was witness to one of the darkest moments in city’s history. That evening, the street was soaked in blood, tears, and bore the weight of 114 corpses of young and old. Since then, every year, Gowaris from various parts of the region gather on November 23 at what is now ‘Gowari Shaheed Smarak’ near Zero Mile. Eyes well up with tears, throats choked with emotions, and stares fill the atmosphere with questions about future. However, this year, the office-bearers and volunteers of Adivasi Gowari Shaheed Smarak Samiti were angry on the eve of ‘Gowari Shaheed Din’. For, according to them, not only their community but also the memorial had become a victim of neglect even after passage of 26 years since the dark day of 1994.
Sheshrao Neware, President of the Samiti, told ‘The Hitavada’ that due to COVID-19, the Collector did not call annual meet as part of preparations for observance of ‘Gowari Shaheed Din’. “As a result, no Govt agency has taken any action. There has been no cleaning of memorial area, no decoration, no repairs of lights... The saga of neglect has continued,” he rued. According to Neware, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) Fire and Emergency Services Department washes the memorial with water. This time, it did not do so. When the Samiti office-bearers enquired about it, he said that the officials sent some staff to sweep the area and to repair some lights.
Neware alleged that none from Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), which deploys three guards at the memorial on regular basis, bother to even turn up at the memorial. “Every night, the memorial is in dark. When we approached Public Works Department, they assured to send garlands on Sunday evening. Due to lack of maintenance, the lawn has dried up, and there is only unregulated growth of grass. Trees planted in the honour of Gowari martyrs, are victims of neglect, as there is no one to water the plants. Liquor bottles, abandoned clothes, and even condoms are found here as miscreants are using this area for their nefarious activities,” Neware said. He wondered, “Is this the way to treat the departed?”
Despite the demand for Adivasi Gowari Shaheed Smarak Samiti for year, the memorial has not been handed over to it for maintenance and upkeep. Besides, Neware alleged, Gowaris continue to be a neglected community. Validity certificates have not been issued to Gowari students since January 2020. As a result, he alleged, admissions of some of them including some to medical colleges have been cancelled. Jobs of some employees are at stake due to lack of issuance of validity certificates. “If the State Government continues to behave like this and continues to neglect the Gowari community, we may have to think of agitation,” he said.