Mumbai 1st, September : A group of activists who are believed to be members of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) assaulted, pushed and abused an elderly woman after she opposed their decision to put up an Ganeshotsav advertising banner in front of the shop, without her consent on Thursday.Perhaps irritated by her outright refusal to comply, the MNS activists, led by one Vinod Argile and others spewed their anger by slapping her, and then beating her until she fell down on the footpath.
The woman, known as Parkash Devi — reportedly instructed the group to “go and hang the banner outside Raj Thackeray’s house” and Argile said she even assaulted them outside her shop for medical services.
In the video of the incident on Sunday, and was made viral the woman and MNS activists were in an argument that was heated and, when she refused to leave, Argile was seen pushing her and pulling her, and giving her an intense punch in the stomach and then pushed her before she was thrown onto the pavement.
The following day, Argile contended that the woman had abused him.He stated that he apologized for assaulting her, even as the incident led to an unrest in the political scene.
Nationalist Congress Party Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase slammed the MNS for the’severe attack on a woman who was elderly and requested that MNS President Raj Thackeray should clarify his party’s position on respect for respect and dignity for women.
“Such an act in the open air is shocking, and we condemn it.The Mumbai Police should register an FIR and take action against the MNS activists involved and Raj Thackeray must also take action in the incident,” demanded Tapase.
MNS south Mumbai activist Keshav Muley and other activists immediately took their hands off Argile in protest, claiming that the video they claimed to have seen was “incomplete” and that the party’s top brass will take action in the issue.
The former Shiv Sena Mayor Kishori Pednekar condemned the MNS for the incident and demanded Raj Thackeray to personally intervene and take action against the perpetrators.
Social media also expressed anger over the way in which so many people were mute in taking photographs or video of the event instead of slowing down the protests by political lullens or hurrying to the assistance of the woman who was fighting them on their own.
The Nagpada Police have lodged a non-concise crime against the MNS activists, and further investigations are in progress.
qn/pgh
