On April 13, Maharasthra Police arrested a journalist in connection with the protest by state transport workers at on National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s resident. The incident took place last week, when hundreds of enraged Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) workers broke into the residence ‘Silver Oak’ of Sharad Pawar. During the protests, some of the proteststors had pelted stones and slippers, after which several of them were arrested. As Per reports, a total of 115 people have been arrested in the case. The court has sent 109 to judicial custody.
A journalist arrested from Pune in connection with an alleged attack on NCP chief Sharad Pawar incident. He is being brought to Mumbai. At least 115 people have been arrested in the matter so far. 109/115 sent into judicial custody
— ANI (@ANI) April 13, 2022
Now the police has arrested another person in the case, YouTube journalist Chandrakant Suryavanshi. The journalist runs a YouTube Channel named ‘MJT Marathi’. Mumbai Police arrested him from Pune. The Journalist is being shifted to Mumbai for questioning. According to the public prosecutor, Chandrakant Suryavanshi was part of the conspiracy.
The incident outside Pawar’s residence
On April 8, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees staged a protest outside Pawar’s bungalow on Pedder Road in South Mumbai. They had accused him of not doing anything to help the workers. Later, NCP workers held agitations in Pune and condemned the attack on the party chief’s residence. They demanded the arrest of Gunwant Sadavarte, who is MSRTC employees’ leader.
Sadavarte was arrested along with MSRTC workers by Mumbai Police last week during the protest outside the NCP chief’s residence. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray condemned the actions of striking employees. Dilip Walse Patil, State Home Minister, asked the top police officials to investigate the case and find out why the Police failed to control the alleged violent agitation by the MSRTC workers.
The protest outside Pawar’s house took place a day after the Bombay High Court disposed of the contempt plea filed by MSRTC against striking employees. The court had directed the corporation to drop the charges against the employees and reinstate those who were terminated from their services, provided they rejoin their posts by April 22.
The workers’ strike going on for the last few months in Maharashtra took an unexpected turn when it was apparently about to end. The workers suddenly became aggressive with a demand to dissolve the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation and absorb all the workers as government employees.
Transport workers gathered in huge numbers near ‘Silver Oak’ and started pelting stones and slippers at the bungalow. In the beginning, the security persons and the Police deployed inside the bungalow tried to stop the protesting workers, but they could not control the mob of hundreds of protesters. Later, an additional police force was called to control the crowd.
