Stopped by cops at Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan for wearing black: Author Kokare

Pune, Jan 3 (PTI) Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author Pradeep Kokare on Saturday claimed he was stopped at the 99th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan for wearing a black shirt by police citing security protocol linked to the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The event was inaugurated by Fadnavis in Satara, some 120 kilometres from here, on Friday.

"Police personnel deployed at the gate stopped me as I was wearing a black shirt. They told me black clothing was not allowed as CM Fadnavis was attending the event," said Kokare, whose book 'Khol Khol Dushkal Dole' received the Sahitya Akademi award for 2025.

"When I argued on the issue, the police reiterated that no one wearing black clothes would be permitted entry as the chief minister was present at the venue," said Kokare, adding he was representing a publishing house that had set up two stalls at the event and wanted to interact with readers.

If black colour is considered a symbol of protest, then the organisers should have clearly mentioned this diktat in bold letters on the invitation card, so that people would be aware of it, he added.

"I never imagined such a diktat would be enforced at a literary meet. This is nonsensical. If black colour is equated with rebellion at a literary meet, and if people are judged based on the colour of clothes they wear, then such an incident is not good for democracy," Kokare asserted.

When contacted, Satara Superintendent of Police Tushar Joshi said the force had received memorandums and inputs from some outfits that black flags would be shown to the CM during the event.

"As a precautionary measure, black shirts etc were not allowed at the event," the SP said. PTI SPK BNM