Maharashtra caste conflict: A sociopolitical cocktail ahead of elections

Maharashtra is changing fast; despite being hailed as one of India's most progressive and most developed states, it is witnessing the fallout of lopsided progress

There are no straight answers to exactly what happened at Koregaon Bhima on New Year’s day, hailed as ‘shaurya divas’ by Dalits for the valour of their ancestors in the Anglo-Maratha war 200 years ago that put an end to Peshwa rule.

An incident took place, detail unclear, at nearby Vadu Budruk where the samadhi of Sambhaji is located. It led to stone throwing, near-rioting and sit-ins that engulfed large parts of Maharashtra, including the state capital, in the first week of the new year.

Now, it’s become a cocktail — Dalits vs Marathas, Dalits vs Brahmins, Dalits vs ruling Bharatiya Janata