BJP on target at massive 'mahapanchayat' held by Tyagi community in support of Shrikant Tyagi

The leaders from the community especially targeted BJP leader Mahesh Sharma, who they claimed 'abandoned' Shrikant

Leaders from the Tyagi community attacked the BJP for what they termed 'abandoning' the self-proclaimed saffron party leader Shrikant Tyagi, who was arrested on charges of abusing and assaulting a woman inside a residential society in Noida.

At a massive 'mahapanchayat' of the community member at the Ramlila ground at Gejha village in Noida, the leaders from the community especially targeted BJP leader Mahesh Sharma, who they claimed not only 'abandoned' Shrikant but was also instrumental in ensuring police action against him.

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Shrikant, who was filmed abusing and assaulting a woman inside the Grand Ommax Society in Noida, was arrested from Meerut on August 9 after he went underground following registration of a case against him. Shrikant claimed that he was a member of the BJP. His photographs with several senior BJP leaders also went viral on social media.

The members of the Tyagi community alleged that the Noida police had harassed Shrikant's wife and aunt and had summoned them to the police station after Shrikant absconded following the incident.

Read | Shrikant Tyagi attended BJP events but abandoned by party now, says wife

"Shrikant Tyagi should be punished for his deeds but his family should not have been harassed. The BJP leaders, including Mahesh Sharma, even said that Shrikant was not a member of BJP," said a community leader at the 'mahapanchayat'.

Such was the anger in the community that its members had put up banners at the venue of the 'mahapanchayat' starting 'BJP netaon ko pravesh ki anumati nahin hai' (entry of BJP leaders is banned). Shrikant Tyagi had also, at the time of his arrest, threatened to work against the BJP in the next election.

The residents of the Grand Ommax Society also put up posters decrying the assault of one of its women residents and said that all they wanted was justice. "We are against any community....whoever does anything wrong must be punished," said one of the residents.