Pune: Pune District Youth Congress president Umesh Pawar was detained by police from his residence on Sunday ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's two-day visit to Pune. Pawar claimed that the action was taken as he was likely to stage a protest during Shah's visit.
The detention prompted Pune Congress president Prashant Jagtap to question the police action and allege that Congress workers are routinely detained whenever Shah visits the city.
Comparing Shah to dictators, including Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, Jagtap questioned why the Union Home Minister should fear opposition workers if he had done nothing wrong.
“Is Amit Shah the Hitler, Pervez Musharraf or Mussolini of this country? Why should he be afraid of ordinary opposition workers if he has not done anything against the country?” Jagtap said, criticising the police action.
Jagtap said there was no objection to the Union Home Minister visiting Pune, as it was part of his responsibilities. However, he questioned who was instructing the city police to detain Congress workers whenever Shah arrived.
“If the Union Home Minister is afraid of ordinary party workers, he should introspect whether he is fit to hold such a position,” Jagtap said.
He also criticised the BJP for providing police protection to Shah during his visits, calling it an embarrassing situation for the ruling party and its leaders.
Jagtap further alleged that police were picking up Congress workers from their homes without warning.
Warning of intensified protests, he said, “If this continues, we will show black flags wherever the Prime Minister or the Union Home Minister visits in the future.”
Meanwhile, Pawar condemned his detention and said the Congress's fight to protect democracy and the Constitution would continue.
