At the government rest house in Solapur, an activist from the Bhim Army threw blue ink at Chandrakant Patil. The protest was over disapproval of the government's policy to privatize public sector jobs. Chandrakant Patil, recently assumed the role of Guardian Minister for Solapur district and this was his first visit to Solapur on Sunday evening.
The incident
The individual who threw ink was promptly apprehended by the police and identified as Ajay Mendergikar, associated with the Bhim Army. Notably, last month, the former Guardian Minister, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, had also been attacked at the same government rest house by Shekhar Bangale, the coordinator of the Dhangar Reservation Action Committee. Consequently, law enforcement agencies have been on high alert to prevent any untoward incidents during ministers' visits to the government rest house.
During Chandrakant Patil's arrival, police maintained strict security checks for all visitors to the rest house. Shekhar Bangale, previously involved in the attack on Vikhe-Patil, attempted to submit a memorandum to Chandrakant Patil but was promptly taken into custody by the vigilant police. Despite the security measures, Ajay Mendergikar crossed the police cordon and threw ink at the minister. Prior to the ink-throwing incident, protesters waved black flags and chanted slogans condemning the Bharatiya Janata Party.
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Chandrakant Patil is scheduled to spend two days in Solapur district. Despite tight security, this incident unfolded upon his arrival at the government rest house. The protestor also vocalized their opposition to contract-based job recruitment and exhibited a black flag.
This incident comes on the heels of a previous incident in which Chandrakant Patil was targeted in Pune, as his controversial statements about revered figures sparked outrage and protests across the state. The attack on Patil is the latest in a series of protests and confrontations in Maharashtra.
