Shiv Sena leader Akshay Vijay Panvelkar has sought police action against political commentators Shefali Vaidya and Sunaina Holey for allegedly spreading hatred against the Tablighi Jamaat community over the incident that took place in Mumbai's Bandra West on April 14.
In a letter to Senior Police Inspector of the Bandra Police station, Panvelkar requested both Vaidya and Holey be booked under IPC 153A, IPC 295 and 295A. "Necessary action should be taken at the earliest as possible and the culprits should be booked under the IPC," he added.
Earlier, sharing a video allegedly from the incident, Vaidya had written, "Another #TablighiJamatVirus moment. This time in Bandra, right in the backyard of the Best CM In The World, @OfficeofUT."
"Crowd shouting YEH ALLAH KE TARAF SE NAHI HAI YEH MODI KE TARAF SE HAI. What's going to happen next @OfficeofUT @AUThackeray @priyankac19? PR karona ab. Blame it on @narendramodi ji. Hain? Bandra Masjid Location Hai. Ab aur kuch bolu? Single Source Kaafi Hai. @Dev_Fadnavis Help," Sunaina Holey had tweeted.
Meanwhile, reacting to Panvelkar's letter, Vaidya said that she will not be intimidated. "I will NOT be intimidated into silence. Those who seek votes in the name of Ch. Shivaji Maharaj should know that Shivaji Maharaj cut off Ranjha Patil’s hands for insulting a woman. ही शिवशाही नाही, मुग़लाई आहे मुग़लाई! @OfficeOfUT आवरा तुमच्या प्यादयाना।"
Sunaina Holey called it intolerance towards truth. She wrote, "Intolerance Towards Truth! Sena & MVA Govt is left with this work or appeasing? Shave heads, beat & then slap women like me @ShefVaidya for being vocal. Art 19 gives us a freedom of speech & it would be better if you focus on Ration & Covid nos. Shame on you for targeting women!"
What happened on April 14 at Bandra West?
A crowd of over a thousand had gathered at a bus depot near Bandra railway station on Tuesday afternoon in Bandra (W). A police official said the crowd consisted mainly of migrant workers, who were allegedly protesting the extension of country-wide lockdown in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus. Moreover, these protestors were demanding they be allowed to leave for their hometowns and native villages. The crowd was, however, dispersed after two and a half hours, after police intervened and resorted to lathi charge.
Also, there were rumours about food packets and essential food grains being distributed to the needy near the railway station, which took a drastic turn when another rumour of long-distance trains were running broke out like wildfire.
