Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 18 (ANI): Supporters of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) sat on a protest outside Mumbai’s Marine Drive Police Station in the early hours of Friday over the clash that broke out outside Maharashtra Assembly between supporters of BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar and NCP-SCP leader Jitendra Awhad.
NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar and Jitendra Awhad were among the protestors who were demanding the release of activist Nitin Deshmukh, who was taken to the police station. They also demanded the arrest of the accused involved in the scuffle.
Speaking to the media, Pawar alleged that Awhad received a threat SMS on his phone after the scuffle.
“I, Jitendra Awhad, and all our party workers are here at Marine Drive Police Station. Jitendra Awhad was going to be attacked by a person who had various allegations against him. Nitin Deshmukh intervened and tried to prevent the scuffle and then there was an altercation. The Speaker had said that Nitin Deshmukh would be released as soon as the session is over, and action would be taken against the four accused. Only one out of those four people has been arrested so far. Jitendra Awhad also received a threat SMS on his phone. What example is the government trying to set with these incidents in the assembly,” he said.
He further alleged that the police was not concerned about the poor but in the middle of night after receiving a phone call they were taking action against the peaceful protesters.
Raising concerns over his party worker Nitin Deshmukh, Jitendra Awhad said that they don’t know where the police has taken him.
Speaking to ANI, Awhad said, “We are being framed. The Speaker said he (Nitin Deshmukh) would be released. We trusted him blindly. Later, we got to know that Nitin Deshmukh is being taken to the police station. When we tried to stop the police, our karykartas were beaten. We don’t know where he has been taken. Some are saying he has been taken to Azad Maidan Police Station, so we are going there.”
A video of the scuffle went viral on social media, showing members of both groups engaging in a heated altercation.
Following the incident, Jitendra Awhad alleged that he was abused and threatened with death by individuals he described as “goons” who confronted him outside the Assembly.
“The whole of Maharashtra knows who the attacker was. We are being asked for evidence again and again, while the whole country has seen who carried out the attack. Goons are being allowed to enter the assembly, posing a threat to the safety of the MLAs. I was abused, threatened with death. Abusive words like ‘dog’, ‘pig’ were used. Was this what was expected to happen in the assembly?” Awhad told reporters.
Expressing concern over legislators’ safety, he added, “I just came out after giving a speech, and these people came to confront me. If MLAs are not safe in the assembly, then why should we remain MLAs?” (ANI)
Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed of ANI; only the image & headline may have been reworked by News Services Division of World News Network Inc Ltd and Palghar News and Pune News and World News
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