India: Activist targeted by Exterme Right (MNS) for opposing illegal posters

The Asian Age - Jan 12, 2014

Activist targeted for opposing illegal posters

by K.A. Dodhiya |
Age Correspondent
mumbai

On Saturday, MNS corporator Geeta Chavan from ward 92, along with her supporters had an altercation with ALM activist Aftab Siddiqui in the H-west ward office in front of assistant commissioner Prashant Sapkal. The incident could have turned ugly had the BMC police and officials not come to the rescue of Ms Siddiqui who was targeted by the MNS activists for objecting to the illegal posters and banners being put up by them in Bandra, Khar and Santa Cruz.
Ms Chavan, however, refused to comment on the issue after confirming that there was a run-in with Ms Siddiqui in the ward office.
Speaking about the incident, Ms Siddiqui said that she had gone to the H-west ward office at around 2.30 pm to complain against the illegal banners and to support the ward office that was being targeted by MNS activists for implementing the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement Act in the three areas.
“Chavan, along with 60-70 of her supporters barged into Mr Sapkal’s office and started abusing me and the officers for tearing down the posters put up by them on the occasion of Chavan’s husband’s birthday that falls on January 12. They tried to snatch my cellphone on which I had recorded their acts,” said Ms Siddiqui.
She added that the MNS workers asked her to delete the clips on her cellphone or else they would not allow her to leave the premises. “I handed my phone to one of them and asked them to delete the clip. I did so that no untoward thing happened to me or the officers,” said Ms Siddiqui.
Though Mr Sapkal was unavailable for comment, sources said that CCTV recordings of the house would be taken and reviewed after which a complaint would be lodged with the police.
Bandra police station senior inspector Ramchandra Dhawale confirmed the altercation between MNS activists and Ms Siddiqui, but added that neither had registered any case. Meanwhile, Ms Siddiqui was provided a police escort to her house after she refused to lodge a complaint with the Bandra police station. “The incident occurred in the BMC office so it is their prerogative to lodge a complaint,” said Ms Siddiqui.
Ms Chavan said she would give her side of the story only in person.

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