Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Jitendra Awhad has come under fire on Wednesday for tearing a poster about Manusmriti with Dr BR Ambedkar's photo on it. Awhad and a tore the poster during a protest against the Maharashtra government's decision to include two verses from the Manusmiriti by burning the copies of the book at the Chavdar Lake in Mahad. The entire incident was captured on camera.
Awahad, along with an MLA and other demonstrators, protested the government's move by burning a copy of the Manusmriti at Chavdar Lake in Mahad, the place were Dr Ambedkar famously burnt copies of Manusmriti in December 1927. However, during the protest, the NCP (SP) leader proceeded to tear the poster with Dr Ambedkar's photo on it.
Watch the video below
In the video, Awhad can be seen tearing the poster that had Dr Ambedkar's photo. A man tried to stop him but, the NCP (SP) leader had already torn the poster. The video went viral on social media and quickly triggered sharp reactions against his actions. A complaint was filed with Raigad Police against Awhad under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
NCP (Ajit Pawar) leader Amol Mitkari attacked Awhad over the incident. Taking to X, he said, "Public Condemnation! Public Condemnation! In their zeal for theatrics, Dr Jitendra Awhad has torn photos of the great Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Awhad did not even realise the foolishness of his actions in the midst of his stunts. As a lover of Ambedkar, I publicly condemn this incident! Awhad should immediately apologise to the nation."
Meanwhile, Awhad apologised after the backlash saying that he tore the poster in the "heat of the moment". "I tore the poster because it had Manusmriti written on it. It also had a photo of Babasaheb on it. I did not realise this," he said.
"The opposition will, of course, politicise this. I made a mistake, and I apologise for it. I tore the poster because I saw Manusmriti on it. Anyone who says I tore it because it had a photo of Babasaheb Ambedkar is foolish."
