A day after Shiv Sena workers poured black ink on a BJP leader and forced him to wear a saree, the Solapur Police on Monday arrested 17 people in connection with the case, news agency ANI reported. Police said that an FIR has also been registered against them.
BJP leader, Shirish Katekar, was forced to wear a saree and black ink was poured on him by some Shiv Sena workers in Solapur. According to reports, the BJP leader had criticised Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The incident was captured on mobile phone and the video had gone viral. Katekar was also paraded through a street. The video also shows a cop trying to stop the Shiv Sena workers, but he was forced away by the group who also raised slogans in favour of the party.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Ram Kadam slammed the Shiv Sena and urged Maharashtra’s Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to intervene. He demanded strict punishment for those behind the act.
“Shiv Sena goons resort to violence in front of the police. These goons have created a ruckus. Neither saints nor jawans are safe here. When will these goons be arrested?” he tweeted.
Thackeray heads an alliance government of three parties — Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. His Shiv Sena had contested the 2019 Assembly elections in an alliance with the BJP, but pulled out of the alliance following a row over the chief ministership. It then joined the ranks with then arch rivals NCP and Congress to form Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state.