A dispute between neighbours at the Ajmera Heights apartment building in Maharashtra’s Kalyan escalated into a narrative on ethnic conflict between Maharashtrians and non-Marathi speaking residents of the State. The dispute received enough traction to even find mention in the State Assembly sessions.
Six people, including Akhilesh Shukla and his spouse, were produced before the Kalyan judicial magistrate for abusing their Marathi speaking neighbours Dhiraj Deshmukh and his family members. According to a police official, Mr. Shukla attacked people in the Deshmukh family with the help of his spouse, as well co-accused Sumit Jadhav and Darshan Borade along with three others.
All the six individuals were arrested and produced before the magistrate, the official said. They will be kept on a six day police custody starting Saturday (December 21, 2024), the official added.
On Friday, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis yesterday announced the suspension Mr. Shukla, who works as a Maharashtra tourism corporation officer. Further, Mr. Shukla’s private car was seized for unauthorised usage of amber light.
“Shukla was fined ₹9,500 for using an amber light without authority. His vehicle did not have valid insurance or pollution under control certification. It had a plate with Maharashtra government written on it as well,” Regional Transport Officer Ashutosh Barkul said.
The police registered the FIR against Shukla and his wife under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 74 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), 189 (2) (3), and (5) (unlawful assembly), and others.
The supremo of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Raj Thackeray wrote on social media platform X warning of violence from the “Maharashtra’s soldiers”. “I am making it clear that arrest the accused in this welfare case, show them what the fear of the law is. And if the government is not able to do it, then if Maharashtra’s soldiers attack, don’t point the finger at us,” he said in the post.
He further added that as much as Hindu unity was important, “there should be no attempt to crush the language, the local people, the culture of each State”.
He further alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party-government of being helpless in solving this situation for votes. “My question to those who are asking for votes in the name of ‘beloved sister’ is, isn’t the wife, mother, sister of the person who was beaten up your beloved sister? Ministerial posts will be enjoyed by Maharashtrians. But the same son of the land will not have your support! Why do you feel closer to these people [non-Maharshtrians] than your Marathi brothers? I don’t know where this helplessness of yours comes from. It is making you miserable,” the MNS chief said.
Published – December 21, 2024 09:52 pm IST