Bhujbal, Fadnavis praise each other at Phule birth anniv event in Satara

Kolhapur: A little over a week after expressing displeasure over his exclusion from the state cabinet, NCP MLA Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday heaped praises on Devendra Fadnavis saying the chief minister was taking forward Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule's works at Naigaon in Satara district. Naigaon is the birthplace of Savitribai Phule, where a programme was held to mark the 194th birth anniversary of the reformer who had led the movement to educate girls and women. In response to Bhujbal's comment, Fadnavis credited the veteran NCP politician for bringing the works of Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule before the public, claiming that "the Phules were mostly neglected". After landing at a temporary helipad near Naigaon village for the event, Bhujbal welcomed the CM and both travelled to the Savitribai Phule's birthplace in the same vehicle. NCP chief Ajit Pawar, who was also invited for the event, did not attend the function.Bhujbal had on Dec 23 called on Fadnavis to express his displeasure over the way in which the NCP leadership excluded him from the state cabinet. Since then, speculations were rife that Bhujbal was getting close to BJP. Addressing the event, Bhujbal said it was because of Fadnavis that Savitribai Phule's birth anniversary was being celebrated at govt level on a grand scale. "Savitribai Phule had started educating the women. Devendraji is taking her works forward. Govt has made higher education for girls free of cost. It is also bearing expenses for girls to get educated," he said. "We had once dreamt of having a statue of Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule on the assembly premises. It was because of then CM Eknath Shinde and his deputy, Fadnavis, that the statue could be built. Through Mahajyoti, OBCs have received scholarships. The Centre has given Constitutional status to the OBC Commission. The decision to grant national memorial status to Bhide Wada in Pune, where the Phules had started the first school, has been taken," Bhujbal said.The OBC leader said the Phules were not against Brahmins, but against Brahmanyawad. "Who threw dung balls and stones at Savitribai Phule? We all did, not just the Brahmins. There were Brahmins who were against Phule's works. There were also Brahmins who supported the works. Savitribai Phule had carried the delivery of 40 pregnant women; one of the women was from a Brahmin family. Her son, Yashwant, was educated by Savitribai Phule and went on to become a doctor," said Bhujbal.Fadnavis in his speech said Bhujbal was the one who paid attention to the neglected places and works of the Phules. "This place (birthplace of Savitribai) was neglected. Bhujbal paid attention, and as the couplet goes, ‘Karvan Banta Chala Gaya (it slowly became a people's movement)'. He ensured that the birthplace of Savitribai Phule was back into a good shape," he said. The CM also accepted Bhujbal's demand to construct a memorial for Savitribai Phule at Naigaon. He said, "It is Savitribai Phule's 194th birth anniversary. By the 200th birth anniversary, we will have the memorial built. For this, govt will acquire 10 acres of land. I wish the memorial will not just be that of statues, but also of the thoughts professed by the Phules. By the time the memorial is built, we will ensure that 33% reservation is in place and the country has 33% women MPs and MLAs." When asked after the event if there was any political discussion between them, Fadnavis said. "We only discussed the works to be done to take forward the thoughts of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule. We also discussed how we can create a society that is equal and has faith in Constitutional values. We did not speak on any other issues."