A massive crowd gathered on Tuesday to pay homage to veteran social activist Dr Baba Adhav, who passed away in Pune following a prolonged illness. His mortal remains were placed at Hamal Bhavan, Market Yard, from 10 am for public viewing.
People from all walks of life, including porters, auto-rickshaw drivers, construction workers and labourers, came for the prayers. NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar and VBA leader Prakash Ambedkar also paid their respects.
Adhav’s final rites were held at 5:30 pm at Vaikunth Crematorium, without religious rituals, as per his wishes.
As a tribute, waste collectors halted work across Pune, while the Market Yard remained largely closed.
Baba Adhav was a towering figure in Maharashtra. He relentlessly fought for the rights of auto-rickshaw drivers, headloaders, hawkers, domestic workers, waste collectors and construction labourers.
Dr Keshav Kshirsagar, President of the auto-rickshaw drivers' union, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, "Many from the white-collar class criticised him for being the voice of the voiceless, especially auto-rickshaw drivers, yet he never stopped speaking truth to power. Adhav stood for us when we were detained for protesting, and today we stand carrying forward his legacy of courage."
Nitin Pawar, Convenor of Manual Worker Action Committee, Pune, added, "No one can replace the mindset of respected Baba Aadhav. He was the one who fought for truth and for neglected communities, including auto-rickshaw drivers, waste pickers and hawkers. He always took a stand against the social issues across the country. In the emergency, he faced jail for more than one and a half years. Three things people should learn from his legacy are character, principles and the fight for democracy. He will remain in our hearts."
Who was Baba Adhav?
Babasaheb Pandurang Adhav, popularly known as Baba Adhav, was regarded as a pillar of Maharashtra's social and labour movements.
Adhav was the force behind the establishment of the Hamal Panchayat, a trade union of headloaders. Through the organisation, he organised porters of Pune and other parts of Maharashtra.
He was a strong advocate of equality in society and had also spearheaded 'Ek Gaon Ek Panwatha' (One Village-One Water Point), a powerful social movement against caste discrimination.
After the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, he had undertaken a three-day protest at Phule Wada in Pune against the alleged misuse of EVMs.
Deeply influenced by Shiv, Phule, Shahu and Ambedkarite ideology, as well as the Satyashodhak tradition, Adhav continued working for public causes even in his final months, advocating justice and welfare for the working class and vulnerable groups.
PM Modi condoles death:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed deep grief over the demise of Adhav, saying he will be remembered for his lifelong efforts to empower the marginalised and further labour welfare.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi posted, "Baba Adhav Ji will be remembered for his efforts to serve society through various causes, notably empowering the marginalised and furthering labour welfare. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and admirers. Om Shanti."
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also expressed grief, saying Baba Adhav's contributions to labour rights and social equity were "unparalleled" and that his demise marked "the end of an era in Maharashtra's social reform movement."
"His initiatives, such as the Hamal Panchayat and the transformative 'One Village-One Water Point' movement, created lasting change. The battle he waged against social evils will always be remembered," the CM said in his condolence message.
Stating that Maharashtra has always had a rich legacy of social reformers, Fadnavis noted that with Adhav's demise, "a truly unique personality from that tradition is no longer among us."
