The Elgaar Parishad and Bhima-Koregaon case is charged with caste issues and politics, but it all started from one man who claims to have no personal motivation in either aspect. The controversial arrest of five activists on August 28, and the earlier arrest of five others in June, was done on the basis of an FIR lodged by Tushar Damgude, 38, a contractor based in Katraj, Pune.

He claims to have no political leanings, and further stated that while he had attended the Elgaar Parishad on December 31, 2017, out of mere curiosity, the speeches he heard there had left him very upset. Eight days after the gathering, he filed a complaint at the Vishrambaug police station under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code.
Excerpts from the interview: