The political turmoil in Maharashtra has intensified following an alleged assault on a Shiv Sena (UBT) worker, Roshni Shinde. According to her police complaint, Roshni was attacked outside her workplace by supporters of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after a Facebook post of hers criticizing the CM sparked a wave of negative comments. Although Roshni had apologized for her post, a group of women allegedly affiliated with CM Shinde’s faction assaulted her. The incident has led to a war of words between the two Sena factions in the state.
Roshni’s hospital report showed that she had suffered minor bruises, but there was no evidence of a serious injury, fracture, or active bleeding. Consequently, the Thane police registered a non-cognizable complaint under Section 323 of the Indian Penal Code against unidentified persons and obtained court permission to investigate the matter.
However, two separate FIRs were also registered against Roshni, one for promoting disharmony between groups and defamation through her social media post and another for a comment she allegedly made against CM Eknath Shinde’s wife.
The registration of these FIRs has sparked outrage among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, including Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP. They took out a protest march against the Thane police, accusing them of showing “apathy” towards Roshni. During the protest, Durga Bhosale Shinde, the secretary of the Aaditya Thackeray-led Yuva Sena, fell ill and passed away on Thursday. The leaders demanded that the police act neutrally in the matter and register an FIR against CM Shinde’s supporters.
The incident has highlighted the political tension in Maharashtra, with both Sena factions engaging in a war of words. The assault on Roshni has raised concerns about the safety of political workers and freedom of expression in the state. The situation remains tense, and it is unclear how the authorities will address the issue.