Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s work towards removing caste barriers in India reverberated in Pune as well, with Vishrambaug Wada being the epicentre.
In 1934, the wada housed the local civic body, which was called Poona Muncipality.
In June 1934, when Gandhi came to Poona to participate in inter-caste dining in Harka Nagar Ram Mandir under the caste annihilation movement across the country, the Poona Municipality passed a proposal to felicitate Gandhi.
However, almost all government officials and orthodox citizens, whose thought-process was deep rooted in the caste system, firmly opposed Gandhi and Poona Municipality’s decision as well.
The then district collector was against Poona Municipality’s decision to felicitate Gandhi. He wrote a letter to the municipality, which stated, “It is unlawful and unacceptable to felicitate Mahatma Gandhi, as this will be like getting into politics. You must keep yourself away from this felicitation programme.”
However, the municipality members ignored this advice and went ahead with organising a felicitation programme in Vishrambaug Wada.
There was a section of the community that strongly believed in the caste system, and according to them, Gandhi’s caste annihilation movement was against ancient Hindu culture. They felt such a movement will destroy Hindu culture and Gandhi’s felicitation meant appreciating anti-Hindu work.
The Poona Municipality disregarded their threat as well.
While speaking to Sakal Times, senior Congress leader Ulhas Pawar elaborated the incident, “The then Poona Municipality President Baburao Walvekar had felicitated Mahatma Gandhi with a citation. Back in 1934, there were very few cars in the city. Keeping in view the opposition from orthodox people, Walvekar arranged two black cars for Gandhi.”
A black Dodge that belonged to Walvekar and another borrowed one. On the day of the programme, Gandhi was seated in Walvekar’s car. As Walvekar’s car approached the wada, a small blast occured in the second black car, Pawar narrated.
According to Pune Municipal Corporation’s history expert Dr MP Mungundkar, the blast was carried out at the corner of Vishrambaug Wada near Pushkarini Haud. Gandhi was safe, he stepped out from the car and walked to the wada. However, LB Bhopatkar, a lawyer, was injured because of the glass pieces in the blast. He kept quiet and did not reveal that he was injured to avoid causing a distraction.
When Gandhi came to know of the blast, he said, ‘Khuda Bada hai (God is great).’
The Poona Municipality’s citation was on Khadi and kept in a gold plated box with Godess Saraswati’s image engraved on it.
In his speech, Gandhi said, “I am thankful to Poona Municipality that despite opposition, you felicated me. I visited seven to eight Harijan localities. Their houses look like hens and goats’ pens. Municipality members should first improve their condition by giving a loan to them. Members must take the help of citizens.”