OBC activists shout slogans against state government

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

A group of OBC activists started shouting slogans against the Mahayuti Government when the chief minister was addressing the gathering at Marathwada Muktisangram Din celebration at Siddharth Garden campus, this morning.

The Kranti Chowk police immediately nabbed Ashok Kishansingh Shevgan (62), Rambhau Kondaji Perkar (70) and Shivaji Baburao Gadekar (59) and filed cases against them.

Meanwhile, the special branch had got a tip of nuisance to be created for the reservation at the venue. Hence they prevented all sorts of agitations and demonstrations. However, Shevgan, Perkar and Gadekar managed to enter and sit as audience. After two minutes of the CM’s speech they took out black flags from their pockets and showed them at the function. Kranti Chowk police personnel Sanjay Shimpi registered the complaint, on behalf of the government, and then filed offences against them. They were later on released by serving notices.

Publicity stunt: CM

Undeterred by the slogans, the chief minister said, “We have gathered here to pay tribute to martyrs of Marathwada Muktisangram. This is a disrespect to the martyrs. They are forgetting the occasion. The act is nothing beyond a publicity stunt and to grab media attention on the occasion.”

The cops took them out of the mandap and made them sit in the police vehicle. Meanwhile, Perkar accused the police inspector (Kranti Chowk) of jostling them despite co-operating with the police.

Meanwhile, the incident has posed a challenge to the police as despite tight security at the venue the trio managed to enter the venue. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pankaj Atulkar said, “We will probe the matter.”

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Attempt to enter venue with diesel

For the demand that the Banjara community be granted reservation under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, police had received information that activists might arrive at the programme carrying diesel. Acting on this input, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ratnakar Nawale and Special Branch Inspector Avinash Aghav arranged tight security.

Around 8.30 am, when Kiran Pawar alias Ravikant Pawar was heading towards the garden, Special Branch’s Deepak Pardeshi, Vilas Kale, Datta Horkate, and Pristam Rathod rushed in and detained him. He was then handed over to Chikalthana Police for further action.