In a major fallout of political controversy over the ongoing “feriwala hatao” drive launched by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Malad police on Sunday registered an offence against Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam for allegedly “inciting” local hawkers to indulge in a violent attack on MNS leader Sushant Malwade.
A day after a group of hawkers assaulted MNS’ Malad unit chief Sushant Malwade and three of his party colleagues, the Malad police registered a case against Nirupam for addressing a hawkers rally without taking prior permission from the police and making a provocative speech at the rally.
The police also arrested seven hawkers who allegedly indulged in an attack on Malwade and three MNS workers. Meanwhile, the Malad police have also arrested 20 MNS workers for allegedly going on a rioting spree and attacking hawkers near Malad railway station on Saturday evening. In retaliation to the assault on their leader, the MNS workers had ransacked vending stalls and carts and attacked the hawkers.
MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande had claimed that a “mob of 400 to 400 hawkers” attacked Malwade with iron rods injuring him in the head and other parts of his body, after listening to a provocative speech made by Nirupam at a hawkers’ rally outside the Malad Railway station on Saturday. Among other things, Deshpande accused Nirupoam of having incited hawkers to take law into their hands. He demanded that a case be registered against Nirupam and the group of hawkers that attached Malwade.
Reacting to Deshpande’s charge, Nirupam had said that the assault on Malwade took place after a “10 to 15 MNS goondas” attacked a group of hawkers vending at a vegetable market near the Malad railway station and the hawkers retaliated. “The incident happened some time after I had addressed a hawkers’ rally at Malad. Tell me who has given power to the MNS to law into its handsIJ,” the Congress leader had asked.
Within hours after the police booked him for “provocative speech”, Nirupam hit out at the MNS for allegedly intimidating hawkers and collecting “haftas” (protection money) from them and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for “shielding” MNS “goondas” harassing hawkers and “extorting” money from them.
Addressing a news conference here on Sunday, Nirupam said: “In the name of “feriwala hatao” drive, the MNS workers continue to intimidate hawkers extort haftas. Despite the fact that the State Home department comes under the chief minister himself, the police have been turning a blind eye to the dadagiri indulged in by the MNS workers against hawkers. The MNS workers have no right to evict hawkers in the city”.