Sule seeks stern action against accused in attack on Sambhaji Brigade leader

Pune: Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule on Monday condemned the attack on Sambhaji Brigade founding member Pravin Gaikwad and demanded strict action against the perpetrators. Speaking to reporters in Pune, Sule said it was "shocking" that strong action had not been taken against the accused despite the seriousness of the incident. Gaikwad, the state president of Sambhaji Brigade, was manhandled and ink was hurled on him allegedly by activists of an organisation over his reported remarks on Swami Samarth, who is believed to be a reincarnation of Shree Dattatreya, at Akkalkot village in Solapur district on Sunday, according to police.

A viral video shows Gaikwad being pulled out of his car and manhandled by a group of people. Police later booked Deepak Kate and six other members of Shivdharm Foundation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for rioting and detained them. They were later allowed to go after the police served them notices. "After the incident, I and (NCP-SP head Sharad) Pawar Saheb spoke to Pravin Dada. I also spoke to the Solapur district SP. I condemn this attack, and it is shocking that no strict action has yet been taken against the assailant," Sule said. Asked about Gaikwad's allegation that it was an attempt to kill him, Sule said the local police claimed the main accused was in possession of a pistol at the time of the attack. "The same person has offences registered against him in the past. On one occasion, a pistol or live cartridges were found in his possession at an airport. Strict action must be taken against such individuals," she said.

Sule claimed such "aggressive tendencies" have become emboldened under the current ruling dispensation. "People in power today behave as if they can get away with anything, be it abusing others or even assaulting waiters. Such behaviour is unacceptable and goes against the cultured ethos of Maharashtra," she said, in an indirect reference to the assault on a staffer of an MLA hostel canteen in Mumbai by a Shiv Sena MLA last week. The MP from Baramati further said in the absence of action at the state level, she would raise the issue in Parliament. Earlier in the day, Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule asserted the ruling BJP has nothing to do with the attack on Gaikwad. Bawankule's comments came after several photos and videos featuring him with Deepak Kate, an accused in the case of attack on Gaikwad on Sunday, surfaced on social media. Asked about Kate seen with Bawankule in some photographs, Sule said such questions should be directed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home department portfolio. On reports in a section of media claiming NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil has resigned from his post, Sule said she has only heard of it through the media and there had been no internal discussion on the matter. The NCP (SP) has convened its general body meeting on Tuesday, amid speculation over the Sharad Pawar-led outfit's next Maharashtra unit chief. Reports in a section of media have claimed Patil has resigned from the post and that party MLC Shashikant Shinde will take over from him.