Pune, Aug 6 (PTI) A high drama unfolded at Pune Municipal Corporation on Wednesday evening when a former corporator of MNS and his supporters barged into the cabin of civic chief Navalkishore Ram when he was addressing a meeting.
The situation escalated when Ram allegedly told the ex-corporator Kishore Shinde to leave his office in Hindi, prompting Shinde to object and demand that Ram speak in Marathi.
As the situation escalated, security personnel escorted Shinde and his supporters out of the office. They were later taken to Shivajinagar police station.
Police are registering an offence against Shinde and other party members under section 132 (Assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
Shinde and his supporters reached the municipal commissioner's office to hand over a memorandum seeking clarification on media reports that claimed some items from the official residence of the PMC chief had gone missing before Ram shifted there.
"I was busy in a meeting when some people ( including Shinde) barged into the cabin. I was talking to him in Marathi and questioned his behaviour, and told him to go out in Hindi. He picked up that one line and created a Marathi-Hindi issue. He also threatened me and tried to heckle me. His behaviour was highly objectionable and unruly," Ram told PTI.
The municipal commissioner alleged that Shinde entered the cabin with a plan to create a ruckus.
Ram stated that he had ordered action against the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader.
"I've worked in Maharashtra for many years, but I have never seen such behaviour," Ram added.
Shinde, however, claimed that Ram called him a "MNS goon".
When asked whether he heckled Ram, Shinde said one can check the CCTV footage.
MNS functionaries claimed they went to the PMC commissioner's office to demand an inquiry into the "missing" household items in the official residence of the civic chief located in Model Colony.
Ram, however, claimed that Shinde and other workers were not carrying any documents or memorandum when they stormed into his cabin.
Ram stated that he had ordered an inquiry into the alleged disappearance of household items, including antique lamps, chandeliers, an air-conditioned unit, and television sets.
Ram's predecessor Rajendra Bhosale occupied the official residence before his retirement.