Arrested leader ‘popular’ party worker, says BJP

On Thursday, speaking about Matne’s arrest, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis accused the Maharashtra police of “targeting Hindus”. “The police crackdown in Achalpur last week exposed the police’s prejudice. It is evident that the state police are targeting Hindus.”

A former councilor in the Achalpur Municipal Council, Matne is also president of Girani Kamgar Sangh, a union fighting for the rights of mill workers. The union has been agitating to restart the Finlay Textile Mill in the town, which shut down during the pandemic.

In a Facebook post on March 12, Matne informed his followers about a special screening of the The Kashmir Files in Achalpur’s Shri Talkies movie hall, saying watching the film “is no less than service to the nation”.

Matne’s wife Rupali said her husband was not present at the spot when the clashes broke out. “My husband has been made a scapegoat. He is innocent. We were on our way to Pune when we heard about the clashes. The next day police came and arrested my husband,” she said.

Shivray Kulkarni, senior BJP leader from Amravati, too alleged a conspiracy. “He is a very popular worker. There is a conspiracy behind his arrest. The flat hoisting is done by all communities every year. This was not the first time a flag was hoisted,” said Kulkarni.