Remarks against Shivaji spark protest in Alibaug, three minors booked

Navi Mumbai: An Alibaug bandh call was given after three minor boys studying in a private tuition class allegedly made inappropriate remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji

Navi Mumbai: An Alibaug bandh call was given after three minor boys studying in a private tuition class allegedly made inappropriate remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji. The remarks sparked off a protest by Shivaji followers at Shivaji Chowk in Alibaug. Following the incident, the Raigad superintendent of police (SP) on Monday appealed to people to keep the peace and not believe in rumours.

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The incident happened on Sunday outside a private tuition centre. Two groups of boys had a verbal tiff, following which one group used inappropriate words against the Hindu emperor and also got a boy from outside to support them in the fight.

After Shivaji bhakts in Alibaug learned of the incident, they gathered in hundreds outside Alibaug police station and Shivaji Chowk, calling for an Alibaug bandh on Monday. They also demanded that the boys, and the members of the community to which the boys belonged, tender an apology.

Mahendra Dalvi, MLA of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, along with other party members mediated between the two communities. “All parties in Alibaug reached the spot,” he said. “We told the bhakts that while we understood their feelings and also the fact that what the boys said was not appropriate, creating panic was not a solution. Members of the other community also apologised. We had a meeting with the Raigad SP at 11 pm on Sunday, and the police registered a case and took appropriate action.”

Raigad SP Somnath Gharge said that three minor boys had been booked and the necessary action had been taken. “Around 150 of our staff, including the Quick Response Team and the Riot Control Police, conducted a route march on Sunday evening in the town to ensure law-and-order,” he said. “There was no untoward incident reported. Nobody should believe in rumors and create panic.”

The crowd, which was unwilling to budge from Shivaji Chowk on Monday, had to be dispersed with a lathi charge. A case was registered against the boys under IPC sections pertaining to outraging religious feelings, promoting enmity between different groups, voluntarily causing hurt and lancing insults with the intention of disturbing the peace.