BJP, NCP workers face-off during Smriti Irani’s Pune visit - Hindustan Times
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BJP, NCP workers face-off during Smriti Irani’s Pune visit

May 16, 2022 11:21 PM IST

The NCP city unit claimed that one of their party office bearers was allegedly assaulted by BJP workers

Party workers from the BJP and NCP had a face-off at Balgandharva auditorium on Monday, where union cabinet minister Smriti Irani was attending a book release event. The NCP women wing members entered the auditorium when Irani was to attend the function. The BJP activists then asked them to leave, leading to fracas.

NCP party workers protest over fuel price hike in front of a venue attended by Union minister Smriti Irani at SB road on Monday. (HT PHOTO)
NCP party workers protest over fuel price hike in front of a venue attended by Union minister Smriti Irani at SB road on Monday. (HT PHOTO)

The NCP city unit claimed that one of their party office bearers was allegedly assaulted by BJP workers. “One of the party functionaries, Vaishali Nagawade was assaulted by BJP workers inside the auditorium when she and others had gone to give a memorandum,” said Prashant Jagtap, city unit president of NCP. He added that they visited the Deccan Gymkhana police station to register an offence .

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“We haven’t registered a case yet and we have not yet arrested anyone. We are still investigating what happened there,” said senior police inspector Murlidhar Karape of Deccan police station.

The BJP denied allegations.

While speaking to reporters, Nagawade said that they had gone to give a memorandum to Smriti Irani about the LPG price hike, however, they were opposed by BJP workers who were present and during the face-off, she was allegedly manhandled and assaulted.

Earlier in the day Congress workers staged protests and shouted slogans against the Centre over soaring prices of essential goods at two different venues during Irani’s visit. The first protest, by women Congress members, took place outside a hotel where Irani was attending a programme.

“Around 12 noon, Pune city women Congress committee members staged a protest over inflation and rising prices of LPG. Since the central government has failed to check inflation in the country, the women members had gone to present bangles to Irani,” said a party functionary.

The protesting Congress members were detained by police and later released, he said.

Pune city Congress president Ramesh Bagwe said, “We shouted slogans against the rising prices and showed placards standing outside the Balgandharv auditorium.”

Irani attended the release of Marathi version of a book on the political journey of Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah. The English version of the book is titled ‘Amit Shah and the March of BJP’.

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