Tawde's PA 'assaults' farmer for throwing milk pouch at min

AURANGABAD: BJP workers and the personal assistant (PA) to Maharashtra school education minister Vinod Tawde allegedly assaulted a farmer-activist for “throwing“ a milk pouch in the minister's direction at Yedshi in Osmanabad district, on Friday.
Ravindra Ingle, who was allegedly beaten up, belongs to BJP's electoral ally Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS).
The minister was touring Osmanabad taluka as part of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' plan to inspect the three drought-hit districts of Marathwada along with his 28 ca binet colleagues and some top officials.
Congress activists who staged demonstrations to block Tawde's convoy and raised the slogan 'pahani nako, paani dya' (enough of inspections, gi ve us water), were cleared away by police. The pouch incident allegedly happened when the minister stopped by at a school in Yedshi where a board exami nation was on.
“A number of activists, including SSS district president Ravindra Ingle, wanted to meet the minister to draw his atten tion towards the problems fa ced by milk producers and the need for opening more fodder camps,“ said Sadabhau Khot state unit president of SSS “Someone threw a milk pouch in Tawde's direction, angering BJP activists, including the mi nister's PA,“ Khot added. He denied that Ingle had thrown the pouch. Khot said Tawde's PA had led a brutal assault on Ingle and should be sacked. “We will raise the issue with the chief minister, the PM and BJP chief Amit Shah to draw their atten tion towards the arrogance with which the allies are being treated.“
BJP spokesperson Shirish Boralkar said Tawde's PA had not hit anyone, but when SSS activists threw a milk bottle and pouches, angry locals beat them up. He said Tawde had in fact sent his PA to intervene.
Osmanabad DSP Rajitkumar Roshan told TOI, “Three persons, including Ingle, threw milk pouches in the minister's direction. Some people started beating them up, but police immediately detained the trio for their safety and to ensure law and order. The trio, as well as the opposite party, do not wish to lodge complaints against each other. We may let them go after following certain procedures.“
Earlier, when the chief minister arrived at Latur airport to travel towards Nilanga, Youth Congress activists staged demonstrations and submitted a memorandum to him for water. Other ministers visiting different places also faced demonstrations.
Addressing a gathering in Nilanga, Fadnavis said government schemes such as Jalyukta Shivar would make a difference in the long run.He added that the government has made a provision of Rs 18,000 crore for drought mitigation schemes.