Pune: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists went on a rampage on Tuesday evening in Sangli’s Kudwad industrial area, allegedly thrashing migrant workers who had come to the market to make purchases.
The MNS’ Sangli district chief Tanaji Swant, who was at the forefront of the attack, alleged that jobs rightfully belonging to local Maharashtrians were being taken away by ‘outsiders’.
On the defensive
The MNS defended it’s actions by claiming that Sangli and the adjoining areas of Miraj and Kupwad had witnessed a surge in crime, which was allegedly the handiwork of ‘outsiders’.
The Kupwad MIDC has a large presence of migrant workers, estimated at more than 20,000. The MNS has been agitating for preference of local youths in employment.
Caught on camera
A video of the assault shows a number of MNS activists assault, abuse and chase migrant workers and non-Maharashtrians who had come to shop for groceries at the Kupwad market.
The Sangli police have arrested three MNS activists in connection with the assault, while lodging a complaint under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The party, which advocates jobs for ‘sons of soil’, created ripples on the political scene with its violent and calculated attacks on north Indian migrant workers in 2008, namely by beating up candidates from North India appearing for the all-India Railway Recruitment Board entrance exam for the western region in Mumbai.
Despite getting some mileage in the 2009 Assembly election and winning a few civic bodies like Nashik and Pune, Mr. Thackeray’s party has virtually imploded since the 2014 Assembly election, with a number of its top leaders switching sides.
With petty wrangling among its top leadership and Mr. Thackeray and his party failing to seriously engage with any civic issues, the MNS managed to win just six seats in the elections to the Pune Municipal Corporation.
