Offices of rebel Shiv Sena MLAS attacked Raut says people are angry, reactions are spontaneous
Following violent protests by Shiv Sena activists targeting offices of the party’s rebel MLAS, Mumbai police on Saturday imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code banning unlawful Assembly in the city and beefed up security at the residences and offices of all ministers, elected representatives and party leaders.
Prohibitory orders have also been issued by the district magistrate in Thane, Eknath Shinde’s stronghold, till June 30.
A viral video showed a group of around 10 Shiv Sena activists throwing stones and vandelising the office of Member of Parliament Shrikant Shinde, son of Eknath Shinde, at Ulhasnagar.
The video also showed the attack was carried out in the presence of policemen, who failed to stop attackers from throwing stones.
Reacting to the vandalisation of his office and blackening of photos of Eknath Shinde, stonethrowing
● IN A LETTER TO the government and police, Shinde alleged that security of family members of all the MLAS with him has been removed. State Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil denied any such move.
incidents on offices of rebel MLAS, Shrikant Shinde said, “We are silent only because of Eknath Shinde or else we also know how to retaliate.
The office of Mangesh Kudalkar, the MLA from Mumbai’s Kurla constituency, was ransacked by Shiv Sena workers on Friday.
Offices of another MLA, Tanaji Sawant, were attacked in Pune and Osmanabad.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that the people of Maharashtra are angry and these reactions were spontaneous.
Another Shiv Sena legislator Ambadas Danve, who is supporting Thackearay, said that “traitors” will not be spared.
Justifying the attacks on Sawant’s office, Danve said, “All traitors will be singled out and taught a lesson,” he said.
Sawant said that his supporters are showing restraint because Shinde has told them not to react, “Once this political impasse is tackled, we will start giving befitting replies. Therefore, it is my humble request that everyone should stay within his limit,” he said.
Another rebel MLA Deepak Kesarkar, who is in Guwahati with Shinde, hinted that the Centre will have to intervene if the Thackeray government fails to stop vandalism.
“There is no need for the Sshiv Sainiks to come on the streets. The CM should step in and stop the vandalism. Later they should not allow a law-and-order situation to deteriorate and complain when the Centre steps in,” Kesarkar said.
In a letter to the Maharashtra government and police, Shinde alleged that security of family members of all the MLAS with him has been removed. He dubbed the action as “political vendetta”. Shinde claimed that the security provided to the MLAS at their residence as well as to their family members as per the protocol has been illegally and unlawfully withdrawn, as an act of revenge.
“Needless to mention, this sinister move is another attempt to break our resolve and arm-twist us to give in to the demands of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government comprising of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress goons,” he said.
Shinde also said that the threats due to which the MLAS were forced to leave Maharashtra have been compounded by the withdrawal of security.
State Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil denied any such move. “We have not withdrawn security cover given to any legislators,” he said.
However, Shiv Sena spokesperson Raut said it was not the state government’s responsibility to give protection to rebel MLAS and their families. He said, “They should first come back to Maharashtra.”