Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who arrived in the Sillod town on Monday at 11 am to present evidence alleging that 1,100 people were issued bogus birth certificates by the administration without any proof of birth, faced protests when his car was blocked and black flags were shown to him. After Somaiya lodged a complaint claiming that he was attacked, police registered a case against four workers of AIMIM, Congress, and Shiv Sena parties and arrested them.
BJP city president Manoj Morellu also filed a complaint demanding action against those who blocked Somaiya’s car. BJP district secretary Kamlesh Kataria, state secretary Suresh Bankar, and Vishnu Katkar were present. The sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Dr Dinesh Kolhe and police inspector Sheshrao Uddar intervened. Based on the incident, cases were filed against Shinde Sena worker Shaikh Imran Shaikh Nazir (38), Congress city vice-president Ashfaq Nisar Khan Pathan (32), AIMIM city president Pathan Faim Khan Munir Khan (37), Rafiq Usman Shaikh (45), and two unidentified persons. Four of them were later arrested.
Somaiya’s shift in statements at press meet
At a press conference in Sillod, Somaiya appeared to soften his earlier claims. Initially, he alleged that there were 4,400 Bangladeshi infiltrators in Sillod. Later, however, he clarified that the number of Rohingyas or foreign citizens in the city would be probed in the second phase. For now, he said he had submitted written evidence about people who were issued birth certificates without proper proof and demanded action against them. When asked by journalists whether he would file an affidavit regarding the number of Bangladeshis in the city, he countered saying, “Why should I file an affidavit?”
Somaiya tweets about ‘attack’
Somaiya tweeted that while leaving the SDO office in Sillod, some ‘miscreants’ attacked him and his car, and even drove away CISF commandos. In a press conference in Jalgaon, he alleged that Congress, Shiv Sena, and AIMIM workers had attacked him and demanded that police take strict legal action against them.