Fadnavis criticised for demanding arrest of Usmani

Shiv Sena has hit out at former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for demanding the arrest of Sharjeel Usmani. Shiv Sena said that Central govt should find a way to end the farmers' protests and send them back peacefully rather than prioritising Usmani's issue.

Mumbai: In an editorial in its mouthpiece "Saamana", the Shiv Sena on Thursday slammed BJP for creating a "fuss" over the arrest of Sharjeel Usmani, and advised them to find a way to end the protest at Delhi's borders and send farmers back home to their homes respectfully.

A case for allegedly `promoting enmity between different groups'' was registered against Aligarh University alumnus Sharjeel Usmani in Pune on Tuesday in connection with his speech at the recent Elgar Parishad conclave. The opposition BJP in Maharashtra had demanded action against Usmani, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments.

Leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis also sought Usmani's arrest and stated that he should be brought to Maharashtra.

"Thousands of farmers have been lying on the roads at the Delhi border for the last 90 days. All those farmers are Hindus. When will you send those farmers back to their home respectfully," the Saamana editorial said.

The article further slammed former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the issue of Sharjeel's arrest, saying that the Maharashtra government knows its responsibility and state police have the courage to pull Usmani out from the end of the earth.

"Fadnavis is calling for the arrest of Sharjeel. Well done Devendra! You have expressed the 'Mann Ki Baat' of the government. Everyone has the desire to take drastic action by dragging a goat named Sharjeel, but there is no need to make much such a fuss," the Saamana article said.

This comes after Fadnavis on Tuesday asked Maharashtra government to take strict action against Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) alumnus Sharjeel Usmani for his comments on the Hindu community during a recent Elgar Parishad event.

Fadnavis had said that the statement made by Usmani at an event in Pune on January 30 was "against the Hindu community" and was meant to 'disrupt communal harmony'.

The Saamana editorial further slammed the Sharjeel, saying that, "Hindutva will not be made fun off by the likes of Sharjeel. Maharashtra government under, Uddhav Thackeray will not tolerate any attack on Hindutva."

"If Sharjeel is hidden in Aligarh itself, even if he is hidden in hell, then the Maharashtra Police has the courage to pull him out," the article added.

Following a complaint by the Pune regional secretary of Bharatiya Yuva Janta Morcha Pradip Gawade, an FIR was filed against Sharjeel Usmani under Section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code, at the Swargate Police Station in Pune, for his speech at Elgar Parishad. This years' event was organised by retired Justice BG Kolse Patil.

On Wednesday, BJP state president of Maharashtra Chandrakant Patil wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asking him to register an FIR against Usmani and take stern action for his speech.

"Strict action should be taken against the person who had hurt the sentiment of Hindu community in Maharashtra and across India, and this case should be used as a precedent so that nobody dares to use such words again," Patil stated.

Usmani had attended the Elgar Parishad event organised at Pune's Ganesh Kala Krida Manch on January 30. Soon after, a video of him allegedly using objectionable words against the Hindu community went viral and demand for stern action against him was raised.

With agency inputs