Mathadi leader alleges assault by Amit Thackeray

MNS denies alleges, says he was beaten up by MNS workers for abusive language used against Amit Thackeray

Mumbai/Navi Mumbai

Mathadi leader alleges assault by Amit Thackeray

Amit Thackeray, son of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has found himself in the eye of a storm after a long time party worker levelled serious allegations of physical assault against him at Thackeray residence of Rajgadh in Shivaji Park.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mahesh Jadhav, the MNS state vice president and President of the Marathi Mathadi Kamgar Sena, Kalamboli, with blood smeared face went live on Facebook and alleging that he was assaulted for showing his dissent against the party policy going against the interests of mathadi workers.

“I was assaulted by Amit Thackeray and his associates for fighting for the rights of the Marathi Mathadi workers. I was thrashed right inside the Rajgadh. This is the reward I have received for working for the party for nearly 20 years. I was literally saved by the representatives of Mathadis,” said Jadhav.

The allegation by sparked tension between MNS party workers and Mathadi workers.

Jadhav was at Rajgadh for a meeting to discuss the issues faced by Mathadi workers of Kalamboli working for Steel Authority of India.

The workers union represented by Jadhav has filed a case with the Labor commissioner about the alleged embezzlement of their salaries by a logistics firm. The hearing of the multi crore fund misappropriation was scheduled by the labor commissioner on Tuesday at . “ This is a multi crore scam to the tune of over 24 to 25 crore. Mathadi workers have been duped of their hard earned salaries since 2021 and an inquiry has been ordered against the logistics firm entrusted with the disbursal of the salary. Since the firm’s owner is a close aide of Amit Thackeray, I was consistently being asked to not attend the hearing,” alleged Jadhav.

“ I head a union of 800-odd mathadi workers earlier associated with NCP and switched their allegiance with MNS only because I had assured them of getting their dues. I clearly stated that if I don’t go with the workers,it will bring disrepute to the party in general,” he said.

Responding to the allegations, MNS leader and spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande said, ``Mahesh Jadhav was facing a lot of charges of extortion. Many people had told us that he was filing RTI application, complaint letters and extorting in Navi Mumbai. We had called him to question him and he had come with some supporters. He spoke in abusive language to Amit Thackeray and he was beaten up by our people.’’

A press release issued by Bala Nandgaonkar, MNS leader said that Maharashtra Navnirman Kamgar Sena had no connection with Marathi Kamgar Sena of Jadhav and all members of the Maharashtra Kamgar Sena were sacked from MNS.

(with inputs by Yogesh Naik)