Hawkers caught in political crossfire

In yet another flashpoint between the Congress and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) over illegal hawking around railway stations, activists of the two parties clashed at Dadar on Wednesday. The Congress organised a morcha in support of hawkers who have been targeted by the Raj Thackeray-led MNS party.

While the Congress had organised a 'Sanman Morcha' at Dadar West at around 11 am, the MNS workers arrived at morcha site before it began. This resulted in a confrontation between the activists of the two parties, and the MNS workers hurled potatoes at the Congress workers. The police had to resort to a mild lathi charge and take Congress and MNS workers in custody. The Congress morcha was called off.

The MNS has blamed Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam for the assault on its Malad division chief Shashank Malavade by hawkers on Saturday.

The party has charged that Nirupam asked the hawkers to retaliate. Later, the MNS activists also gathered near Nirupam's residence at Andheri.

Meanwhile, Shivaji Park Police on Wednesday arrested 15 MNS and eight Congress workers for allegedly holding rallies without police permission and booked them for unlawful assembly in Dadar.

"Workers from both the parties were picked up before they could indulge in any clash and we deployed heavy police bandobast in the area. Those detained were released on bail. Nirupam was not present at the time of clash," said Gangadhar Sonawane, Senior Police Inspector, Shivaji Park Police Station.

Around 12 pm, a dozen unidentified suspected MNS workers vandalised a car and a Congress party banner at Dhanmill Naka in Parel. Dadar police have registered a rioting case in the matter, said Divakar Shelke, Senior Police Inspector of Dadar Police Station.

Later in the day, Versova police detained five MNS workers and 29 Congress workers as a preventive measure. Congress workers had gathered outside Nirupam's residence to protest in support of the hawkers.

"The detained persons were let off after giving a notice," said Paramjit Singh Dahiya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone IX.