Daijiworld Media Network – Pune
Pune, May 9: Vikas Lawande, spokesperson of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), was allegedly attacked by a group of men led by devotional preacher Sangram Bhandare in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Saturday.
The incident took place at Mhatobachi Alandi in Haveli tehsil, where the group allegedly poured ink on Lawande and confronted him over his recent remarks against several spiritual leaders.
A video of the incident has surfaced on social media showing Lawande returning after attending a religious event when Bhandare and his supporters approached him and demanded an explanation over his statements.
“If you wanted to call someone an infiltrator, you should have called me that. You should not have dared to call our gurus infiltrators; they are everything to us,” Bhandare was heard telling Lawande in the viral video, while also warning him of “serious consequences” if such remarks continued.
According to Lawande, around 10 to 15 people approached him around 10 am, allegedly manhandled him and threatened him while brandishing a pistol before fleeing from the spot.
However, Bhandare denied allegations that any firearm was involved in the incident.
Lawande later approached the police seeking action against Bhandare and the others involved.
The controversy erupted after Lawande allegedly made remarks against spiritual leaders including Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, Kali Charan, Pradeep Sharma and Swami Anand Swaroop.
He had reportedly claimed that such spiritual leaders had “infiltrated” Maharashtra from North India with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Lawande had also accused them of insulting revered personalities like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Gautama Buddha to create communal divisions in society.
Meanwhile, Rohit Pawar, MLA of the NCP(SP), strongly condemned the incident and said he had met police officials to file a complaint.
He alleged that “hardcore fundamentalist goons” had infiltrated the Warkari sect, which stands for brotherhood, peace and equality.
“Our attention will remain on the investigation of this crime. If any setback occurs in Lawande’s case, the full responsibility will lie with the police administration. The government should take note of that,” Pawar said in a post on X