Opposition events hit out on the Maharashtra authorities after a automotive during which senior journalist Nikhil Wagle was travelling was allegedly attacked by Bharatiya Janata Party staff at Khandoji Baba Chowk in Pune on Friday night. The BJP staff had been reportedly protesting Nikhil Wagle’s remarks in opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and LK Advani after the ruling social gathering veteran was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.
The vandalised automotive of journalist Nikhil Wagle in Pune.
A Deccan police station official stated BJP staff threw ink on the automotive during which Nikhil Wagle and two others, Aseem Sarode and Vishwambhar Choudhary, had been travelling beneath police safety to the ‘Nirbhay Bano’ occasion organised by the Rashtra Seva Dal in Singhad Road space in Pune.
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Reacting sharply to the incident, Shive Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut alleged that a number of Maha Vikas Aghadi girls staff had been overwhelmed up by “BJP goons” and eggs, stones and bricks had been hurled at them, whereas the Pune Police remained spectators.
“Senior journalist Nikhil Wagle’s car smashed, ink, eggs thrown at his car.. Brazen Bid to murder democracy by BJP in Pune… MVA will not be deterred, Shame on you Devendra Fadnavis, you are ordering your cadre to harm and injure hapless daughters of Maharashtra…Maharashtra will not forgive you,” Sanjay Raut wrote on social media platform X (formally Twitter).
Another Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi additionally reacted to the Pune incident. “Less than 24 hours since the untimely and unfortunate killing of our former corporator, Abhishek Ghosalkar and now we have this attack on activists who are critical of the BJP. Goondagardi under the gundaraj,” Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote on X.
Earlier on Friday, Priyanka Chaturvedi sought pressing intervention by Union dwelling minister Amit Shah concerning the legislation and order scenario in Maharashtra within the wake of the homicide of Abhishek Ghosalkar, her social gathering chief, in Mumbai. In a letter to Amit Shah, Abhishek Ghosalkar referred to the homicide of Abhishek Ghosalkar on Thursday, and an incident earlier this month within the neighbouring Thane district the place a BJP MLA opened hearth inside a police station
Supriya Sule of the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP stated she “strongly” condemns the assault on Nikhil Wagle, describing him “a voice of truth and a beacon of journalism”.
“This is not just an assault on an individual but an attack on freedom of speech itself. The deteriorating law and order situation in Maharashtra under the BJP regime that is tacitly enabling such acts is alarming and warrants strictest accountability. #Goondaraj,” Supriya Sule wrote.
Why was Nikhil Wagle attacked?
An FIR was registered at Pune in opposition to Nikhil Wagle, 64, for allegedly making offensive remarks in opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief LK Advani after it was introduced that the latter could be conferred with Bharat Ratna, police stated on Friday.
“Nikhil Wagle has been booked under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 500 (defamation) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Vishrambaug police station. We are probing the matter further,” news company PTI quoted an official as saying.
Senior BJP chief Sunil Deodhar had filed a grievance in opposition to the scribe on the Vishrambaug police station on Tuesday over the controversial feedback.
According to the Deccan police, some individuals climbed on high of the four-wheeler, as they blocked him from reaching the venue. Some threw ink on the automotive during which Nikhil Wagle and two others, Aseem Sarode and Vishwambhar Choudhary, had been travelling beneath police safety to the occasion.
TV visuals confirmed BJP staff mobbing the automotive at Khandoji Baba Chowk and vandalising it, ensuing within the automobile’s windscreen and facet panes getting broken. Nikhil Wagle managed to achieve the venue of the occasion beneath police safety, a police official added.
Addressing the ‘Nirbhay Bano’ occasion, the journalist stated, “I forgive all those who attacked me. I have been attacked six times earlier and this was the seventh.”
Workers from the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi had been engaged in a standoff outdoors the Rashtra Seva Dal premises earlier, with protesters saying they might now enable Nikhil Wagle to talk on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Pune metropolis Shiv Sena president Pramod Bhangire stated they weren’t opposing the occasion however solely the participation of Nikhil Wagle.
(With inputs from businesses)
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
