This is the third time Nitin Gadkari had faced pro-Vidarbha protest in the recent past and he has reacted sharply on each occasion.Pro-Vidarbha activists, on Friday, moved Nagpur Commissioner of Police B K Upadhyaya urging for registration of offence against Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for inciting BJP workers to beat up statehood activists at a programme in Nagpur on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on Wednesday night when Gadkari and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were inaugurating the beautification work of local Futala lake. A group of pro-Vidarbha activists had raised slogans while Gadkari was speaking. They were asking when were the two leaders going to fulfill the promise of statehood to Vidarbha. An enraged Gadkari had shouted at them asking them to sit down. He even said, “thokun kadha” (beat them up). This had allegedly prompted the mob to rain blows on the Vidarbha activists. The police had later bundled them out and had registered offences against seven activists, including two women, under Section 135 of the IPC.
The activists met the CP under the banner, Vidarbha Nirman Mahamanch, and have urged him a complaint against Gadkari. A press note issued by Mahamanch said, “we held a meeting of our leaders, including Shrihari Aney, and Sudhir Sawant and decided to meet the CP to demand registration of offence against Gadkari and also Fadnavis as the latter was the state’s Home Minister too. The CP said he will inquire into the matter.”
“The two leaders had promised Vidarbha statehood and Gadkari had even given it in writing. But on Wednesday Gadkari incited the mob to beat up our activists. And CM Fadnavis remained a mute spectator to the whole thing despite being the Home Minister too. So, offence can be made out against Gadkari under Section 506 of the IPC. Hence, The CP was urged that offences must be registered against the two,” the press note said.
Among those who met the CP included the seven activists against whom action was taken as well as leaders Wamanrao Chatap, Ram Nevle, Srinivas Khandewale and a host of other activists.
Aney told The Indian Express, “the way Gadkari reacted is very unfortunate. Now these protests will only be repeated and they will have to face us everywhere.”
Nevle said, “we have decided to burn the effigies of CM and Gadkari everywhere and today Gadkari’s effigies were burnt at Wakodi village in Nagpur district and Wadki village in Yavatmal district.”
This is the third time Gadkari had faced pro-Vidarbha protest in the recent past and Gadkari had reacted sharply on each occasion.
