25 AAP volunteers detained for 'jhadoo' protest on Tilak Rd

In a unique way of getting back at their perpetrators, party affiliates began sweeping the NCP offices and their  surroundings to protest attack at AAP Mumbai office on Saturday by NCP workers

In response to the violent vandalism by the Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) men at the AAP's Mumbai office on February 22, AAP volunteers retorted with a non-violent 'jhadoo' protest outside the NCP offices at Tilak Road, and three other places: Pimpri, Mumbai and Auragabad. They chose a novel way of getting back at their perpetrators — by sweeping the NCP offices and their surroundings with their brooms.


Brooming up: Armed with their brooms, the Aam Aadmi Party volunteers protested outside the NCP office in Pimpri on Sunday afternoon 

Fearing a law and order situation at NCP's Tilak Road office, the Khadak police took preventive action against AAP's district executive committee member, Maruti Bhapkar, and other office bearers, detaining around 25 volunteers involved in the agitation for unlawful assembly. They were later released on bail.

Police Inspector SM Sawant of Khadak police station confirmed the detention. "They created a law and order situation in the city. So we detained them. They were later released on bail," said Sawant. When AAP volunteers decided to protest in the same way at the NCP's Pune office, the police detained them even before they could reach the spot.

Around the same time in the afternoon, other AAP volunteers were agitating in front of NCP's central office located in Kharalwadi area of Pimpri, by sweeping the surrounding area of the office.


The Khadak police detained 25 of the volunteers outside the NCP office at Tilak Road. Pics/Mohan Patil 

"NCP shelters anti-social elements which resulted in the attack at our head office in Mumbai. However, we wanted to dust off this absurdity and therefore wanted to protest in a peaceful manner by sweeping the surrounding area of NCP office in Pune," Bhapkar said. He also said that other political parties are threatened by AAP's increasing popularity and such attacks are the results of their insecurity.

The other side
Rajya Sabha MP and NCP city chief Vandana Chavan said the NCP workers who attacked AAP office in Mumbai have been suspended from the party for six years. "After this assurance from the NCP's senior leadership, AAP's agitation was uncalled for. AAP's protest may unnecessarily instigate the other party's workers to react," said Chavan.

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