On February 7th, 2023, stones were pelted at the convoy of Aaditya Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena party in Maharashtra, India. Following the incident, Maharashtra Legislative Council’s Leader of Opposition, Pravin Darekar, wrote a letter to the Director General of Police (DGP) alleging a security breach.
In his letter, Darekar expressed concern over the safety of political leaders and sought the DGP’s intervention to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. He also demanded that the police take necessary action against the individuals responsible for the attack.
Stones were pelted at the convoy of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray during the party’s Shiv Sanvaad Yatra in Aurangabad’s Vaijapur area on Tuesday evening. A senior Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader claimed that stones were thrown during a public meeting addressed by Aaditya Thackeray.
Ambadas Danawe has written to Maharashtra police Director General about the security breach at Thackeray’s event and urged him to take necessary action. There is an unforgivable fault in the security in this case and it should be seriously intervened, he said.
Meanwhile, the BJP’s doors are always open for everybody who wishes to join the party, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Tuesday amid talk of state Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat resigning from his post. Thorat had sent his resignation along with the letter he had sent to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, sources confirmed to The Indian Express, where he made allegations of conspiracy against him, listing out how he was ‘humiliated’ by state Congress president Nana Patole and said that it won’t be possible to work with him.
“A stone fell inside the venue and some stones were also pelted at the convoy while we were leaving the venue. The crowd was raising slogans in support of local MLA, Ramesh Bornare. It was an attempt by some anti-social elements in the mob to create a rift between the two groups,” said Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Ambadas Danve.
This incident has drawn criticism from political leaders and the public alike, who have condemned the use of violence as a means of expression. The attack on Thackeray’s convoy raises questions about the security measures in place for political leaders and highlights the need for improved protection.
According to party functionaries, police stopped the procession due to the presence of some “anti-social elements”, and some members of the procession allegedly started pelting stones. Aaditya requested members from both sides to remain calm and requested that the procession continue. “… There should be no dispute between Shiva Shakti and Bhim Shakti. We have come together for the country. I apologize if there has been any inconvenience due to the rally,” Aaditya said.
The police are investigating the matter and have assured that they will take appropriate action to bring the perpetrators to justice. The outcome of the investigation and any subsequent action taken will be closely watched by the public and the political community.
The attack on Aaditya Thackeray’s convoy and the subsequent letter from the Maharashtra Legislative Council’s Leader of Opposition, Pravin Darekar, to the DGP, have brought the issue of political security to the forefront. The incident highlights the need for stronger measures to ensure the safety of political leaders and the importance of swift action against those who resort to violence as a means of expression.
