While senior journalist Nikhil Wagle escaped an attack on his car by BJP workers as he headed to the ‘Nirbhay Bano’ meet at Nilu Phule auditorium in the city on Friday evening, several women karyakartas, especially from MVA, also suffered injuries in a similar attack on them. The angry karyakartas condemned the Shinde-Fadnavis government and demanded the resignation of Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Wagle’s car was attacked at least at four locations as headed to the event from advocate and activist Asim Sarode’s residence. The attacks took place prominently at Khandojibaba chowk and Alka chowk. The attackers, who came on two-wheelers and rained stones and poured ink on Nikhil Wagle’s car, were allegedly BJP supporters as the party had announced it would disrupt the event. The attackers competely smashed the front and rear side windshield of the car. Wagle however remained unharmed and was escorted to the event by MVA workers and activists.
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”This doesn’t deter me. I have been attacked at least seven times in the past. But they could not stop me from freely articulating my views. I will continue to raise my voice against those trying to murder democracy and are sitting in Mumbai and Delhi,” Wagle asserted as the crowd cheered every word that he spoke.
Women karyakartas of MVA who tried to escort Wagle to the event were attacked in full view of hundreds of police personnel who were deployed inside and outside the venue.
Pune Congress leader Sangita Tiwari alleged that BJP workers mercilessly attacked the unarmed women karyakartas. ”They threw stones and bricks, and even poured ink on the karyakartas. At least seven-eight karyakartas were injured while two suffered head injuries,” she said.
The women karyakartas staged a noisy protest and demanded the dismissal of the Shinde-Fadnavis government. The protestors especially demanded that Fadnavis should resign as he had lost moral right to continue as State Home Minister.
”What was most shocking was that police remained mute spectators as young girls and women were being attacked with stones.They did nothing to protect the womenfolk who were only trying to protect Wagle’s car. It is clear this was done at the behest of the state government. They want to crush the voice of democracy,” said Tiwari.
Pune Congress spokesperson Ramesh Iyer said, ”The way karyakartas were attacked shows the state government has no respect for democracy. They don’t want to hear democratic voices. They want slaves whom they are recruiting in their ranks. The BJP today stopped very low in attacking hapless women karyakartas and a a journalist who is raising his voice against the attempts being made to murder democracy in broad-daylight.”
Reacting to the attack on Wagle and women karyakartas, Supriya Sule, Baramati MP, said, ”I strongly condemn the attack on Wagle, 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 BJP regime that is tacitly enabling such acts is alarming, and warrants strictest accountability.”
Sanjay Raut, MP, Shiv Sena (UBT) said,”I have been saying that Maharashtra has been reduced to a goonda raj state. The Shinde-Fadnavis government is a government of goons resorting to killings in broad-light. Those sitting in Mumbai are letting loose their goons on hapless people of Maharashtra and are getting pat from their masters sitting in Delhi.”
Raut said,”In the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, women and young girls are attacked brazenly by goons and the Pune police remains the state government. The police must be clearly under the directives of the state government to let goons cut loose. It is a shame for Maharashtra. We have been demanding that Fadnavis has no right to remain Home Minister. But he shamelessly continues to cling on to his chair and allowing goons to call the shots. We strongly condemn the attack on senior journalist and the women workers.”