Amravati violence: Sharad Pawar accuses BJP, says party leaders 'lost their minds' after losing power in Maharashtra

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being involved in the Amravati violence and said that the party leaders have "lost their minds" after losing power in Maharashtra.

The NCP chief said, "Riots broke out in Amravati, Nanded, and Malegaon over an incident that occurred in another state. Some bad people were involved in these riots. Police will investigate it and the truth will come out."

"But in response to these riots, people belonging to the ideology of the party that is ruling the country (BJP) carried out another kind of riot. They attacked shops and forcibly shut down small enterprises in Amravati. This is a proof that BJP has lost their mind after losing power in the state," Pawar said.

Last week, the BJP, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and other right-wing organisations called for a bandh in Amravati on November 13 and gathered at Rajkamal chowk for the protest at 12 pm. Later, the mob went on a rampage in nearby areas like Itwara bazaar and Namuna area, pelting the shops with stones and damaging properties.

Following this, the police had resorted to lathi-charge and firing teargas shells to disperse the protesters. Later, the police imposed Section 144 in the city for the next four days. 

Meanwhile, the police had arrested BJP leader and former Maharashtra Minister Dr Anil Bonde, Amravati Mayor Chetan Gawande, BJP Amravati Rural president Nivedita Chaudhari, and Amravati Municipal Corporation leader of house Tushar Bharatiya. Incidents of stone-pelting were reported on Friday from Nanded, Malegaon and Amaravati in the backdrop of protests staged against the violence that took place in Panisagar in Tripura on October 27.

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