In a surprising incident in Pune, speaker Namdev Jadhav's face was blackened by activists linked to the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). This occurred while Jadhav was speaking to the media, and prompt police action ensured his safety, escorting him away from the situation.
During the incident, Sharad Pawar's supporters, with loud slogans in his favor, carried out the act of blackening Namdev Jadhav's face. Women activists from the Pawar group were reportedly involved as well.
The incident was triggered by Namdev Jadhav's publication of an alleged fake caste certificate belonging to Sharad Pawar, along with serious allegations against the political figure. The controversy had been escalating, leading to opposition from Pawar group activists at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI), where Jadhav had a scheduled program. Due to the potential for untoward incidents, BORI canceled Jadhav's program.
However, in Navi Peth, NCP party workers blackened Jadhav's face. Jadhav, in response, alleged that the Maratha community had been deprived of OBC reservation due to Sharad Pawar's influence, despite Pawar himself contesting elections with an OBC certificate. This revelation sparked controversy, and as Jadhav refused to apologize, NCP workers organized a blackout in front of the Patrakar Bhavan in Navi Peth.
In the aftermath, Jadhav has called for strict action against those responsible for the incident, emphasizing the need for accountability in such confrontations.