Pune, February 16 Protests outside the offices of political parties will be prohibited in the areas under the Pune Police commissionerate, city police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said on Monday, a day after a clash between workers of the BJP and Congress left nine persons injured.
The violence outside the local Congress office was triggered by controversial remarks made by Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the erstwhile ruler of Mysuru, Tipu Sultan.
The injured individuals include activists from rival parties, two police personnel, and two journalists, the police had said.
"To ensure that such incidents do not recur, no form of protest or agitation will be permitted in or around the offices of political parties or their residential premises of political leaders in the future."
"The Pune Police are taking precautionary measures to prevent such incidents from happening again. The stone-pelting that occurred yesterday was not pre-planned. Action will be taken against those whose role is found after the investigation," Kumar told reporters.
Police have registered two separate cases against BJP and Congress leaders and several workers, following the clash near the Congress Bhavan.
Congress leader Prashant Jagtap on Monday alleged that the city police acted in a partisan manner by allowing them to stage a road blockade.
"It was expected that the police would stop BJP workers at least 100 metres away from Congress Bhavan. However, they reached right up to the boundary wall. How did this happen? The entire road outside Congress Bhavan was blocked by BJP workers. Under what authority did the police allow the BJP to stage a road blockade?" Jagtap said.
He added that Congress is contemplating approaching the High Court.
Jagtap further alleged that newly elected mayor Manjusha Nagpure participated in the protest and delivered an "inciting speech".
"In our complaint, we mentioned Nagpure's name, but it was omitted from the FIR. We will raise this issue before the court and question why her name was not included," he said.
Jagtap claimed that it appeared the home minister (CM Devendra Fadnavis) had instructed the Pune Police to exclude Nagpure's name.
"She was part of the protest, she gave an inciting speech, and we have video footage. We demand that her name be included in the FIR," he added.