New Delhi:Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday had a word with a retired Navy officer who was allegedly beaten up by Shiv Sena workers and wished him speedy recovery, reports said.
Madan Sharma was attacked in Lokhandwala Complex area in suburban Kandivali after he shared a cartoon of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on the messaging app WhatsApp.
Condemning the attack on Madan Sharma, Singh said that attack on the former servicemen is completely unacceptable and deplorable.
On Twitter, Singh wrote, "Spoke to retired naval officer, Shri Madan Sharma who was attacked by hooligans in Mumbai and enquired about his health. Such attacks on Ex-Servicemen is completely unacceptable and deplorable. I wish Madanji a speedy recovery."
Six goons who were arrested by the Mumbai police were granted bail. The assault on the retired navy officer triggered a protest by the BJP.
READ: Mumbai: 6 arrested in ex-Navy officer assault case get bail by police
Yesterday, Sharma told reporters, “Eight to ten persons attacked and beat me up today after I received threatening calls for a message that I had forwarded. I have worked for the nation my entire life. A government like this should not exist.”
Dr Sheela Sharma, daughter of the former officer said that he was attacked by people from the Shiv Sena after the received threats for forwarding a message on Whatsapp.
"My father received threats for forwarding a message. A number of people from the Shiv Sena attacked him. Later, the police came to our residence and insisted on taking my father with them. We've registered an FIR," she said.
Reacting to the incident, BJP and opposition leader in Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis had expressed shock and appealed to the state's Chief Minister to take action against the accused.
With agency inputs
