Pune, February 16 The Pune police have registered two separate cases against the BJP and Congress city chiefs and several other party workers after violence following Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal's remarks equating Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with Tipu Sultan, officials said on Monday.
Stones were thrown during the confrontation between BJP workers and Congress activists in Pune on Sunday as they protested against Sapkal's comments. Nine people, including workers from rival parties, two police personnel, and two journalists, were injured, they said.
Following cross-complaints, FIRs have been registered against several local BJP and Congress workers under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 118(1) (causing hurt or grievous hurt using dangerous weapons or means), 189 (unlawful assembly), and 324(4) (causing mischief), a police official said.
One case has been lodged against BJP city unit president Dheeraj Ghate, its local youth wing chief Dushyant Mohol, and 50 to 60 other party workers. Another case is against Congress city head Arvind Shinde, two other local leaders, and some unidentified party workers, the official said.
A protest was held on Sunday near Congress Bhavan, with workers from both parties raising slogans. They climbed on walls and stone-pelting was reported, according to the police.
The Congress, in its complaint, alleged that Ghate, Mohol, and 50 to 60 other BJP activists reached the Congress Bhavan and engaged in provocative slogans and stone-pelting, leading to injuries to three workers from the opposition party.
In the other complaint, the BJP alleged that Shinde and other Congress activists engaged in stone-pelting, in which two BJP workers and two women police personnel were injured.
A controversy erupted on Saturday over a portrait of 18th-century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan in the office of Malegaon Municipal Corporation deputy mayor Shan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed, which was opposed by Shiv Sena corporators and Hindu outfits.
While highlighting the valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the way he presented the idea of 'Swarajya', Sapkal cited Tipu Sultan's call for battle against the British and claimed that this was an ideal articulated in the same vein.
BJP workers staged a protest in Pune on Sunday, condemning Sapkal's remarks.
