Mumbai: The video of a man trying to obstruct Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde's convoy and calling him 'gaddar' (traitor) has gone viral in social media. The video of the incident took place at Saki Naka in Chandivali assembly constituency.
Santosh Katke attempted to obstruct the CM's convoy by waving black flags and shouting “Shinde gaddar”. This led the CM to halt his convoy and step out. The incident, which took place outside Congress candidate and former minister Naseem Khan's office, was captured on video.
Visibly disturbed Shinde went straight away to the Congress office active for the party candidate Naseem Khan. “Do you teach your party workers such things,” asked the CM. Katke was later detained and handed over to the police but released soon after. Santosh Katke told reporters that his pent up anger exploded on seeing Shinde, prompting him to utter those words.
After learning about the incident, Shiv Sena (UBT) activists took Katke – whose father is active in the Ramdas Athawale-led RPI – to Matoshree, where he was felicitated by Uddhav Thackeray. Both Katke and his father were then inducted into the Shiv Sena UBT.
“I could not control myself after seeing the CM,” Katke told mediapersons. Now, the RPI (A) has decided to stage a protest against Katkes demanding action against them.
The rebellion in June 2022 led by Eknath Shinde culminated in the collapse of the then Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, comprising the united Sena and NCP and the Congress.
In May this year, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi's 'Mera Baap Gaddar Hai' remark targeting Shinde and his MP son Shrikant ignited a row.
"Who are you Eknath Shinde? What are you? You are nothing but a 'gaddar' (traitor)," Chaturvedi had said, referring to the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in June 2022.
Chaturvedi had continued, "Whatever you do, you cannot escape the 'gaddar' taint. It will haunt even your family, as in the film 'Deewar'."
