Dance to Hidma song at Pune hostel triggers ‘urban Naxal’ hunt

Maharashtra's intelligence agencies appear to have discovered a new frontline in the battle against 'urban Naxals' — a students' cultural programme in Pune.

At a government hostel in the city, tribal students performed a dance to a song associated with slain Maoist commander Madvi Hidma during events marking the 135th birth anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. The performance has prompted intelligence agencies to begin searching for the 'roots' of 'urban Naxalism' behind the choice of song.

According to reports, this is the first such instance since Maharashtra’s BJP-led Mahayuti government declared the state “Naxal-free”, where Hidma has allegedly been “glorified” through a cultural performance — in this case, via a YouTube playlist selected minutes before the event.

The BJP has objected to the performance and demanded an inquiry. Questions are also being raised about why songs on Ambedkar or Chhatrapati Shivaji were not chosen for Ambedkar Jayanti instead. Some of the students who performed are reportedly from Gadchiroli district, once considered a Maoist stronghold but now officially categorised as “Naxal-free”.

The programme took place at the Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Government Hostel in Vishrantwadi between 6 and 14 April as part of sports and cultural activities organised by hostel residents themselves.

A video from Saturday’s event went viral on social media, showing students dancing in tribal attire before posters reading 'Save Trees' while the song ‘O re bandook wale (O you gun-bearers)' played in the background. The performance was quickly interpreted in some quarters as an attempt to eulogise Hidma.

Social activist Tushar Damgude and BJP leader Medha Kulkarni criticised the event and demanded a probe into its intent, asking whether 'urban Naxalism' has once again become active.

The hostel, run with support from the social welfare department, houses around 1,000 students across seven hostels, of whom about 85 per cent belong to Scheduled Caste communities and the remaining 15 per cent to other groups.

Following the controversy, assistant commissioner of the social welfare department Vishal Lodhe questioned the students and sought details of the event. He said prior official permission had not been obtained for the programme, and claimed that the students were unaware of the song’s background.

According to Lodhe, the track was selected from YouTube roughly 10 minutes before the performance based purely on its music, with students presenting a dance in tribal costume.

“The song that was played is controversial, but the students did not know about it. The students who performed are innocent,” Lodhe said, adding that precautions are now being taken to ensure such incidents do not recur in the hostel.

That explanation, however, has not prevented Pune Police and intelligence agencies from attempting to determine the motive behind what may be one of the more unusual routes to alleged radicalisation: a last-minute cultural playlist.

Investigators are yet to establish which student selected the song, but are reportedly examining whether the individual has any links to 'urban Naxal' networks.