The attack on Union Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar in Delhi on Thursday sparked protests in Maharashtra, especially in the western region.
Inspite of Mr Pawar appealing to the people to maintain peace, NCP Pune city unit President Vandana Chavan declared that a Bandh will be observed in the city on Friday to condemn the attack. “This is a spontaneous reaction by the party workers,” Ms Chavan said, when asked why Mr Pawar’s orders were not being followed.
Rasta roko protests were held in various parts, including his hometown Baramati in Pune district. NCP workers burnt tires and staged protests in Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik and Solapur districts, disrupting traffic
in several pockets.
Baramati witnessed a bandh on Friday, with NCP workers taking to the streets, urging shop keepers to pull the shutters.
Addressing mediapersons on Thursday afternoon in Nagpur, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar had reiterated Mr Pawar’s appeal to avoid violence in the state. He said, “I strongly condemn the attack. However, I request people to maintain peace. There is no need to stage protests.”
Anna Hazare
Anti Corruption crusader Anna Hazare, condemned the attack, but only as a clarification of his earlier statement in which he said, “He (Sharad Pawar) got slapped! Only one slap?”, before walking in to his room in his hometown Ralegan Siddhi.
Speaking to reporters later in the day Mr Hazare said, “I understand the youth’s anger. Corruption and price rise has made life difficult. But there is no place for violence in democracy. Our Constitution does not tell us to be violent with anyone.”
Asked why he had spoken with contempt earlier, Mr Hazare justified himself saying, “I was asking them if he (Mr Pawar) was only slapped or anything else had happened to him.” He said that he was speaking to the people gathered to meet him, and not to the media.
Stating that the attack was against principles of democracy, Mr Hazare said, “It was not a slap on Pawar’s face but a slap on democracy,” while speaking to a news channel later in the evening.