Journalist Nikhil Wagle’s car was attacked by a mob in Pune
New Delhi:
A journalist whose car was attacked by a mob in Pune over his alleged derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leader LK Advani has now accused the police of “conniving” with the mob.
The journalist Nikhil Wagle made the comment after PM Modi announced Mr Advani would be honoured with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.
Mr Wagle in a post on X today detailing the incident that happened last night indicated he has come out stronger.
“Faced six attacks so far. Yesterday’s attack was the worst. Stones, sticks, hockey sticks, rods, eggs, ink, all of them were used. We were chased four times in just half-an-hour and surrounded. The attack took place with the connivance of the police,” Mr Wagle, 65, said in a post on X today.
“It is my belief that we all survived yesterday only with the blessings of Phule-Ambedkar,” he said on X.
प्रिय मित्र- मैत्रिणीनो, भावांनो-बहिणींनो,
काल मृत्यू दारात उभा राहिला होता. केवळ तुमच्या प्रेमामुळे वाचलो.
मला इजा होऊ नये म्हणून काचांचे तुकडे रुतले तरी मागे न हटणारा असीम सरोदे.,जीवाची बाजी लावून आमची गाडी हाकणारा आमचा सारथी वैभव, पुढच्या सीटवर बसून हल्ला अंगावर घेणारी ॲड…
— nikhil wagle (@waglenikhil) February 10, 2024
Visuals of the incident show BJP workers surrounding the car, throwing ink at the vehicle, and breaking its windscreen and window panes with rods.
Earlier on Friday, BJP workers were seen protesting against Mr Wagle in Pune.
“We will conquer Maharashtra to defeat fascism. We have no culture to fear such cowardly attacks. I am saying here that I will risk my life again so that this country does not become a Hindu Pakistan,” Mr Wagle said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the police will take action against anyone — even if it’s a BJP worker — who takes the law into their own hands.
A case was filed against Mr Wagle in Pune following a complaint against him by BJP leader Sunil Deodhar.
The Opposition has alleged the attack on the journalist’s car reflected the BJP government’s behaviour, that it does not fight with debates and ideas, but with jailing people.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule asked the BJP who gave them (mob) the “licence to riot”.
ज्येष्ठ पत्रकार निखिल वागळे (@waglenikhil) यांच्या गाडीवर भाजपाच्या कार्यकर्त्यांनी भ्याड हल्ला करीत दगडफेक केली. या संतापजनक घटनेत रस्त्यावरुन जाणाऱ्या काही मुली जखमी झाल्या. हा प्रकार घडत असताना पोलीस केवळ बघ्याची भूमिका घेत होते. याप्रसंगी कारवाई न करण्याचे आदेश पोलीसांना कुणी… pic.twitter.com/eVlPYN41wt
— Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) February 9, 2024
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also alleged several women workers of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) were “beaten up by BJP goons”. The MVA is a coalition of Mr Raut’s party with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar).
