Thackeray's goons attacked me, wanted to kill me, alleges BJP MP Kirit Somaiya

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya has alleged that around 100 goons of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray assaulted him in the presence of police on Saturday.

Somaiya had gone to the police station on Saturday to meet arrested independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana, whose earlier call for chanting Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree, the resident of the chief minister, had infuriated Sena cadres.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Somaiya said that the attack on him was sponsored by the Thackeray government.

“Some 70-80 Shiv Sena workers had gathered at the gate of Khar police station when I visited it,” he told reporters.

“I had personally informed police that I might be attacked by Shiv Sena goons and it later happened,” he said.

The BJP leader claimed that a false FIR was registered by police in his name.

“Such false FIR can only be registered in the regime of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He and Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey are behind it,” Somaiya claimed and demanded that Pandey be replaced immediately. Somaiya also said he will go to New Delhi and meet Union home secretary in connection with the case.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, the BJP leader had claimed that he was injured in the attack by “Shiv Sena goons”.

“I am shocked, in presence of 50 police persons, in the compound/campus of Khar Police Station, Shiv Sena’s 100 Gundas assault me with stones, wanted to kill me. What the police commissioner is doing? How so many mafia Sena gundas allowed to gather in police station?” he tweeted.

“Police allowed the goons of CM Uddhav Thackeray to assemble at the Khar Police Station. When I stepped out, these goons started throwing stones, breaking the window of my car. I was injured too. The attack took place under the supervision of police(sic),” he said in another tweet.

This in 3 rd time Uddhav Thackeray’s Gundas tried to KILL Me, first at Vashim than Pune & now at Police Station ( Khar Mumbai) itself@BJP4India

— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) April 23, 2022

Somaiya reached the Khar police station late evening in support of Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana who were arrested earlier in the day on the charge of “creating enmity between different groups”.

Shiv Sena supporters, who had gathered outside the police station, protested against Somaiya’s visit and shouted slogans. While the BJP leader was leaving the police station in the SUV, a group of protesters hurled footwear and water bottles at his vehicle.

Somaiya then travelled to the Bandra police station to file a complaint against Sena supporters.

(With inputs from agencies)