Latest news with #Padalkar
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Awhad's slogans instigated Padalkar before scuffle in assembly: Gorhe
Pune: The state legislative council's deputy chairperson, Neelam Gorhe, on Saturday said NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad's slogans instigated BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar before the scuffle between their supporters on Thursday on the assembly premises, referring to a govt report on the incident. Gorhe said, "The report on the incident has been submitted in the assembly. It mentions that Awhad was seen shouting some slogans aiming at Padalkar, which instigated him. In any case, such kind of behaviour within the premises of the assembly is not acceptable." Interacting with reporters in Pune a day after the monsoon session ended, Gorhe expressed disappointment over the scuffle. The senior Shiv Sena member said, "This is the first time I experienced such a thing happening on the assembly premises. There is a norm that nobody should be shouting on the assembly premises, but the SOP (standard operating procedure) was not followed." You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune A police case was registered against the supporters from both sides and the assembly took a serious cognisance of the incident. Following Speaker Rahul Narvekar's statement, both Awhad and Padalkar tendered apologies in the assembly on Friday. Gorhe, the deputy chairperson of the legislative council, pointed out that she had taken action against Padalkar in the past for his misconduct. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo "Whenever I feel that somebody is at fault in the assembly, I speak out. I punished Padalkar for misconduct and did not allow him to participate in discussions in the council for a day earlier. After that punishment, I saw some improvement in him," she said. Reacting to speculations over Thackeray cousins reuniting ahead of the civic polls, Shiv Sena's senior member Gorhe said both politicians were senior and she was a common Shiv Sainik. "Both Uddhav and Raj are seniors, but Eknath Shinde continued on the path of Balasaheb Thackeray. Be it Article 370 or Ram Temple issue, Shinde has followed the Hindutva path," Gorhe added. Replying to the "honey trap" allegation of the MVA members against some bureaucrats and former ministers of the state, Gorhe said, "If the opposition members have any evidence regarding the honey trap issue, they should present it in the court."
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
'Mangalsutra Chor': A Passing Comment That Turned Maharashtra Assembly Into Battlefield
Last Updated: The political clash has once again raised questions about decorum within the legislative complex, prompting calls for accountability A day after a violent scuffle broke out between supporters of BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Jitendra Awhad inside the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan, Mumbai Police has arrested two individuals in connection with the assault. The incident, which took place on Thursday, has triggered political outrage and a police probe, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assuring swift action. According to police officials, Nitin Deshmukh and Rishikesh Takle, reportedly affiliated with the BJP and NCP, respectively, were taken into custody late Thursday night. A case has been registered at the Marine Drive Police Station. What Led To The Clash? The tension between Awhad and Padalkar began a day before the incident when Padalkar was giving a media byte and Awhad passed by, allegedly calling him a 'Mangalsutra chor" (mangalsutra thief). This remark reportedly didn't sit well with Padalkar. The following day, Padalkar confronted Awhad near the legislature entrance, which led to a violent altercation between their supporters soon after. MNS chief Raj Thackeray strongly condemned the recent clash inside Maharashtra's Vidhan Bhavan, calling it a shameful reflection of the current political atmosphere. Referring to a viral video of the brawl between the ruling party and opposition workers, Thackeray said, 'I watched a video of a fierce brawl between the workers of the ruling party's MLAs and those of the opposition party in the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan. Seeing this video, I genuinely wondered, 'What has become of our Maharashtra?'" His comments came amid growing concern over rising political hostility and the erosion of decorum within legislative spaces. Thackeray went on to criticise the political leadership across parties, stating that the loss of ideological grounding has led to the inclusion of unruly elements who are used to target senior leaders with disgraceful language, only for the same parties to later lecture on political ethics. 'Power is meant to serve, not to dominate. When that is forgotten, hypocrisy takes over. I believe the people of Maharashtra have started to see through it. I ask the Marathi people – in whose hands have you entrusted Maharashtra?" he said, adding that such incidents raise serious concerns about the future of governance in the state. Background To The Brawl The physical confrontation inside the legislature complex escalated after a verbal spat between the two leaders over a car door incident. On Wednesday, Padalkar exited his car and allegedly slammed the door shut near Awhad. The NCP MLA claimed the act was deliberate and dangerous, sparking a heated exchange of words between the two in full public view. On Thursday, tensions boiled over. A video of the clash inside the ground floor lobby of the Vidhan Bhavan has gone viral, showing supporters from both sides punching, kicking, and hurling abuses at each other. The chaos was eventually brought under control by security personnel, who detained one individual from each group on the spot. The incident was reported to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, who has sought a detailed report and promised appropriate action. Meanwhile, Padalkar expressed regret over the incident, telling reporters, 'This is an unfortunate incident… I express my regret and apologise." The political clash has once again raised questions about decorum within the legislative complex, prompting calls for accountability and restraint among public representatives. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
BJP, NCP (SP) workers clash a day after altercation between Gopichand Padalkar, Jitendra Awhad
A day after an altercation broke out between BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad outside the Legislature campus, workers of both the parties engaged in a physical duel at the staircase of the legislative building. On Thursday evening, a physical altercation broke out as workers from both the parties came face-to-face at the staircase of the legislative building. The incident has its roots in the altercation between Padalkar and Awhad on Wednesday evening at the parking area of the legislative building, where both allegedly abused each other. Maharashtra assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar has sought a detailed report on the incident, after Awhad informed the Assembly about the threats he had received and claimed that the workers had come to target him. 'They were here to target me. But since I had gone out after my speech in the assembly, they found my workers and beat them,' he said. Narverkar directed that he will ensure safety of every MLA and a detailed report should be submitted to him. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned the incident. 'The Speaker and the Chairman should take a serious note of it. I have requested them to take a strict action. This does not reflect the culture of the legislature,' he said. Former Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded strict action against the goons. 'Those are not political workers, but goons. Is this what we have reduced to?' asked Thackeray. Speaking to reporters after meeting Fadnavis, Awhad said, 'What's the use of becoming an MLA if they are not safe within the campus of the Legislature? If an accused under MCOCA can come to the legislative building, then it is important that authorities take serious note of it.' Padalkar was called by state revenue minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule after the NCP-SP delegation of Awhad and senior MLA Jayant Patil held a meeting with CM Fadnavis. 'The incident is unfortunate. I apologise to the Speaker and Chairman. I will speak to the media only after I have discussed the matter with the party leadership,' said Padalkar.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Protest after BJP MLA offers bounty on priests
Mumbai: Thousands from the Christian community participated in a daylong sit-in at Azad Maidan Friday, protesting threats issued by the BJP MLA from Sangli, Gopichand Padalkar. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The MLA in a public speech on June 17 had allegedly offered a bounty ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 11 lakh for acts of violence against Christian priests and missionaries engaging in "forceful conversions". Similar dharnas and morchas are being held in several cities and districts across the state. The community is demanding Padalkar's resignation and an FIR. The archdiocese of Bombay meanwhile expressed "deep concern" over state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule's proposal to enact a strict anti-conversion law. "While we respect the govt's duty to uphold public order, we firmly believe that any legislation restricting religious freedom must be carefully evaluated against India's constitutional framework. The choice of religion is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 25. We urge the Maharashtra govt to reconsider this proposal, which risks fostering division and targeting vulnerable communities," the archdiocese said in a statement Friday. In Mumbai, individuals, priests, pastors, NGOs and secular organisations came to Azad Maidan after a call by the Samast Christi Samaj. "Around 15,000 Christians from all parts of Maharashtra came. We are seeking protection from the govt and police and demanding that an FIR be registered against Padalkar," said Cyril Dara, convenor of the Samaj. Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi and Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad addressed the gathering. Gaikwad said, "People vote for you (BJP), and with this power you make such kinds of malicious comments." Samuel Salve, a pastor from Ahmednagar, said, "Today I have filed a petition against Padalkar in the high court." "We demand the suspension of Padalkar and the registration of a criminal case for hate speech," said Melwyn Fernandes, secretary of the Association of Concerned Christians. (Inputs by Bella Jaisinghani)
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Christian groups protest MLA Padalkar's comments on religious leaders
Members of the Pune Christian Forum, along with representatives from the broader Christian community, staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday outside the Pune District Collector's Office strongly condemning the anti-religious remarks made by MLA Gopichand Padalkar. According to a press note issued by the forum, the comments were made during a torch march held in Sangli (Kupwad) on June 17. Padalkar allegedly used provocative language targeting Christian religious leaders and announced monetary rewards ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 11 lakh for those who would carry out violent attacks against them. The forum described the remarks as deeply hurtful and a serious cause for concern. Protestors demanded Padalkar's immediate disqualification from his legislative post and called for a criminal case to be filed against him. The press note further called for legal action under relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 192 (incitement to violence, rioting), Section 198 (disrespect by a public servant towards the law), Section 111 (abetment of criminal acts), and Section 302 (encouragement to commit murder). The forum also demanded strict action against any form of hate speech. Kivi Lydia Vito is an intern with the Indian Express.
