The violent clash between the two Shiv Sena factions, and the alleged firing by MLA Sada Sarvankar, snowballed into a controversy, with the Opposition blaming the Eknath Shinde government, and comparing the shooting incident with those in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The clash on Sunday occurred as a continuation of a verbal duel during Ganesh visarjan among the workers from the Shiv Sena camps of Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde factions at Prabhadevi in Dadar.
Sarvankar, who is a part of the Shinde camp, allegedly fired a round during the clash and was booked by the police. During the skirmish, Santosh Talavane was allegedly attacked by Mahesh Sawant and 30 others. Talavane is from the Shinde camp, while Sawant belongs to the Thackeray-led Sena.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ajit Pawar said, “Such incidents have never happened in Maharashtra. …we have heard of such incidents from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar … I am in no way criticising … merely saying that such incidents have been heard from the two states.”
After the incident, Pawar said, “What is happening…who is looking after law and order?”
He also accused the Shinde group of using the language of “thoka-thoki” since they formed the government.
In the wake of Sunday’s incident, Chief Minister Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met to discuss “administrative issues”.
Fadnavis, who is also the state home minister, said an investigation was ordered and will look into all circumstances. “There would be a free and fair probe,” he said.
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