PUNE: Pune City Police have registered two separate cases against BJP and Congress leaders and several party workers after violence erupted near Congress Bhavan on Sunday during protests over remarks made by Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal.
According to police, stones were hurled when BJP workers confronted Congress activists during a protest against Sapkal’s comments, which allegedly equated Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with Tipu Sultan. Nine persons were injured in the clashes, including workers from both parties, two police personnel and two journalists.
One FIR has been registered against BJP city unit president Dhiraj Ghate, BJP youth wing (BJYM) Pune chief Dushyant Mohol and 50–60 other BJP workers. The case was lodged at Shivajinagar police station based on a complaint by Prachi Nitin Dudhane, a 42-year-old homemaker from Karve Nagar. She alleged that on February 15, between 12.30 pm and 2 pm, BJP workers gathered at Congress Bhavan, raised slogans, pelted stones, injured three Congress workers and damaged vehicles.
A second case has been filed against Congress city president Arvind Shinde, two other local leaders and several unidentified Congress workers following a counter-complaint by the BJP. The BJP alleged that Congress activists indulged in stone-pelting, injuring two BJP workers and two women police personnel.
Police said the cases have been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 118(1) (causing hurt using dangerous means), 189 (unlawful assembly) and 324(4) (mischief), along with relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act. No arrests have been made so far. Senior police officers visited the spot and electronic evidence has been collected. Further investigation is under way.
The violence followed protests outside Congress Bhavan after an FIR was registered against Sapkal in Pune for his remarks during a discussion on the controversy over a portrait of Tipu Sultan displayed in the office of the Malegaon Municipal Corporation deputy mayor. BJP leaders alleged that Sapkal’s statement hurt the sentiments of those who revere Shivaji Maharaj.
On Sunday, BJP workers led by local leaders staged a protest outside Congress Bhavan, while Congress workers gathered in support of their state president. As tensions escalated, workers from both sides climbed walls and stone-pelting was reported around 1 pm, leading to injuries and damage to vehicles. Multiple police teams were deployed to bring the situation under control.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)