Ajit Pawar Seeks Youth Chief’s Resignation after Assault Incident

Mumbai:

Following a violent altercation between NCP workers and activists from the Chhava Sanghatna, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar ordered Suraj Chavan, the president of the Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) youth wing, to resign from his position on Monday. This was a significant political development. 

After a video purportedly depicting NCP members attacking Chhava Sanghatna activists went viral, the Sunday incident drew intense criticism. According to reports, the altercation started because of a video showing Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Bansode using his phone to play a game during a formal function. Members of the Chhava Sanghatna posted the video online and criticised the minister's actions.

In a prompt response, Ajit Pawar denounced the violence and expressed dissatisfaction with the party members' behavior. "The incident is abhorrent. In an official statement, Pawar said, "I have asked Suraj Chavan to step down from his position after taking serious notice of the actions of the NCP workers involved." "Such behavior goes against the core values of our party and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances," he continued. 

Reports state that NCP employees allegedly confronted and physically assaulted Chhava Sanghatna members in Pune for disseminating the contentious video. Visual evidence of the incident has sparked increasing public outrage and calls for disciplinary action, even though police have not yet confirmed the number of people involved.

A youth-focused cultural group called the Chhava Sanghatna has called for justice for its members and questioned the government's silence regarding what they refer to as "political bullying." The police have been urged by their representatives to file charges against the assaulters. 

Suraj Chavan, who is well known for having close ties to senior NCP leaders, has not yet responded formally. According to party insiders, Chavan met with Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Monday morning prior to the announcement of the resignation directive. According to sources, Pawar voiced his strong disapproval of the party's public image being damaged by such incidents during the more than hour long meeting.

This development exacerbates the NCP's internal problems, particularly in light of the party's recent split and the emergence of rival factions. As internal divisions persist, Ajit Pawar, the leader of the group affiliated with the BJP led Maharashtra government, has been working to preserve order and public trust. 

Opposition parties have taken advantage of the ongoing investigation into the Sunday incident to attack the NCP for allegedly engaging in a pattern of unbridled aggression and subpar leadership. Concerns regarding political intolerance and party workers abusing their power are also brought up by the incident.

Law enforcement authorities have confirmed that they are reviewing CCTV footage and mobile recordings to identify the individuals involved in the assault. No arrests have been made as of Monday evening.