JOIN USA group of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) workers on Saturday barged into the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office here and burnt posters of Arvind Kejriwal, police said.
The attack came two days after AAP leader Anjali Damania targeted senior NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, saying that the people of Mumbai were paying high electricity charges due to corruption and inefficiency of the state power ministry.
Twenty-three activists were arrested in connection with the incident.
“We have arrested 23 NCP workers for rioting, mischief and trespassing among other charges under the Indian Penal Code,” said Additional Commissioner of Police Milind Bharambe.
The police also detained AAP leader Mayank Gandhi when he was heading for the NCP office to protest against the attack. “Gandhi has been detained. He will be allowed to go later in the evening,” said Bharambe.
According to police, 20-25 activists of the NCP, led by Prithiviraj Maske, north-west district NCP president, and Amol Matele, president of the NCP students’ wing, entered the second floor of the AAP office at Chakala around 2:30 pm. They tore up and burnt posters. They also burnt Kejriwal in effigy.
Immediately after the attack, the AAP tweeted, “AAP Maharashtra office attacked by NCP goons”.
AAP volunteer Paritosh said the attackers threw black ink bottles and damaged party banners, besides using obscene words and shouting slogans.
“Police had to intervene and take them away,” he said, adding that the AAP will submit CCTV footage to the police. Meanwhile, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the party had expelled Matele over the incident. “The party does not endorse this act,” Malik said.