'Saamana' cartoon row: Opposition seeks unconditional apology from Shiv Sena's mouthpiece

Office of the Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' in Navi Mumbai was allegedly stoned on Tuesday over a cartoon published in the daily alluding to the silent marches being taken out by Maratha community across the state. A pro-Maratha outfit, 'Sambhaji Brigade', claimed the responsibility for the attack.

While Shiv Sena termed the attack as "deliberate mischief" by some people to create a rift between the Maratha community, its ally BJP took objection to the cartoon and demanded public apology from the newspaper. Opposition Congress and NCP also sought government action against the Sena mouthpiece for "hurting sentiments" of the community.

Sanpada(Maha):Protesters agitated over cartoon related to Maratha protests,pelted stones at Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna office,earlier today pic.twitter.com/76OC9iAcsa

— ANI (@ANI_news) September 27, 2016

Giving details about the attack, police said three youths came in a vehicle at the 'Saamana' printing press building located at Sanpada in Navi Mumbai at around 1.45 pm. They called the guard of the press and requested him to take a letter. As the guard was approaching the vehicle, the youths got down, rushed towards the press and allegedly pelted stones damaging glasses on the outer wall of the building and fled, they said. Police reached the spot and a complaint was lodged by the office-bearers at Sanpada police station.

Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale confirmed the incident. Police said an offence has been registered against the accused and appropriate action will be taken. On Sunday, a cartoon on "muk morcha" (silent march) was published in 'Saamana', which drew flak from political quarters.

The controversial cartoon. Image Courtesy: Twitter

The Marathas have been organising silent marches across the state following the Kopardi rape and murder incident, in which the victim was a member from the community, while the alleged perpetrators belonged to Dalit community.

A Sena leader requesting anonymity said, "The cartoon had no co-relation with the Maratha community. There are certain people, who want to create a rift within the community members by misguiding them. While doing that, they also got a good opportunity to defame the Sena."

"(Late Sena Chief) Bal Thackeray never believed in dividing Marathi speaking people on the basis of caste and creed. For him, all were equal. Thus, we cannot go against his principles to play with the sentiments of the Marathi speaking community. This is a case of deliberate mischief," the leader said.

Sambhaji Brigade takes responsibility of the attack

The Sambhaji Brigade condemned the cartoon and took responsibility of the attack. It also demanded apology from Sena leaders.

Sambhaji Brigade spokesperson Shivanand Bhanuse told PTI, "We are condemning a cartoon, which was published in 'Saamana'. Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray and 'Saamana' executive editor Sanjay Raut must apologise to the women of Maharashtra."

"The attack was spontaneous and an expression of emotions of the Maratha community," he said.

Opposition demands apology from Sena

Meanwhile, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said 'Saamana' had hurt sentiments of the Maratha community and those taking part in the silent morchas. "The newspaper should offer an unconditional public apology," he said.

Hitting out at Raut, Sena's Rajya Sabha MP, Shelar said, "Given the Executive Editor's style of functioning, I feel like calling him a cartoon." The BJP leader said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is trying to understand the sentiments of the Marathas and is communicating with them.

"We are confident that the government will take a satisfactory decision (about the community's demands)," he said.

"By mocking the Maratha community, the Shiv Sena has insulted the womenfolk and therefore they should apologise publicly...Being a part of the government, the Sena should have taken note of their grievance and found some solution," Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan said.

Leader of Opposition in state Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said the attack on reflected the Maratha anger against the "derogatory" cartoon. He also urged the government to act against the newspaper. "The cartoon not only insulted the Maratha morcha, but also women from all sections of the society. The cartoon exposed the anti-Maratha mindset of Sena, which is known for its anti-Dalit and anti-Muslim stand," he said.

Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said the cartoon showed Sena's "pervert mindset". "It insulted martyred jawans, their families, police and women. The government should file a criminal case against the newspaper," he said.

Munde also accused the state government of instigating the non-Maratha community in the backdrop of the maratha morchas to create caste tensions. "The Opposition will cooperate with the government to amend laws to provide reservation to Marathas," he said.

Munde said there is resentment in the community that the government is not taking their demands seriously. "So far, chargesheet has not been filed the kopardi rape and murder case," the NCP leader said.

Marathas have planned more rallies in the state in the coming days, which would culminate in a rally in Mumbai in the first week of October.

Meanwhile, late in the evening, police commissioner Hemant Nagrale informed that a case had been registered with regard to the stone-pelting at Saamana office under sections 336 (act endangering life and personal safety of others) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the property) of the IPC.

The FIR identified the accused as Shrikrushna Sawant, Amol Jadhavrao, Manoj Aakhre, Purushottam Khedkar, all office-bearers of Sambhaji Brigade, and others. The accused would be arrested soon, the police officer said.