Ex-BJP MP leads protest by Hindutva groups against anti-Brahmin outfit
Pankaj Jayale, former president of the Akola district unit of Sambhaji Brigade and an accused in the case, said, “Patil made wrong and baseless comments against Sambhaji Brigade, Maratha Seva Sangh and Purushottam Khedekar, who is highly respected."
4 min read
several Hindutva groups in Pune, led by former BJP MP Pradeep Ravat, staged protests against the alleged attack on Patil. (Express Photo by Vishal Srivastav)
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
Pune, June 23
Hindutva activists in Pune have extended their support to a “pro-Hindutva” orator and social media speaker Sachin Prabhakar Nemade, alias Sachin Patil, a resident of Sindhkhed Raja in Buldhana, who was allegedly beaten up by members of the Sambhaji Brigade on June 10. Sambhaji Brigade has, meanwhile, accused Patil of making derogatory and baseless remarks against the outfit.
On Thursday, several Hindutva groups in Pune, led by former BJP MP Pradeep Ravat, staged protests against the alleged attack on Patil by members of the Sambhaji Brigade.
Patil, who is currently residing in Pune, said he was conducting coaching classes and giving speeches on topics such as positive thinking, English communication, Shivaji Maharaj and the current social and political situation. “I am not associated to any organisation. I was disturbed by the way divisive forces misused the Koregaon Bhima violence to create a rift in the society. So, in my individual capacity, I started a YouTube channel and posted my videos, exposing the divisive forces. Some of my videos got widely circulated on social media, receiving over two lakh views in a short period. While ‘pro-Hindutva’ groups liked my videos, those against Hindutva got upset,” he said.
He added, “A group from Akola had invited me as a speaker for a programme on the evening of June 10. After the programme, I went to Patur to meet my uncle, when four persons, including a senior activist of the Sambhaji Brigade, Pankaj Jayale, abducted me in a car and thrashed me… with a hard metallic object, leaving me in a pool of blood. They blamed me for speaking against Maratha Seva Sangh leader Purushottam Khedekar during my speech in Akola. I somehow managed to rescue myself and called my uncle… My uncle took me to Patur police station in an injured condition and I lodged an FIR against the assailants… Constitution has granted us the freedom of speech.”
“I have a view and I will continue to express it on the basis of my study and logic. But they do not like it and might target me again. So, for the time being, I have shifted to Pune,” said Patil.
Police have booked the accused assailants under sections 324, 364, 504, 506, 34 of the Indian Penal Code. Pankaj Jayale, former president of the Akola district unit of the Sambhaji Brigade and an accused in the case, said, “The incident did take place. Sachin Nemade made wrong and baseless comments against Sambhaji Brigade, Maratha Seva Sangh and Purushottam Khedekar, who is a highly-respected person. We do not mind him speaking on Hindutva or any other issue. But you can see from his YouTube videos that, without any evidence, he makes derogatory comments against the Sambhaji Brigade and the Maratha Seva Sangh. This had led to the dispute.”
Jayale added that he and the other accused in the case have taken anticipatory bail.
Mahesh Pawale of the Raje Shivrai Pratishthan said, “We may not agree with all the views of Patil, but attacking him… is wrong. So we have supported him.”
Ravat said, “Misconceptions are being spread about Hindutva. It is important to understand and spread the real meaning of Hindutva, which is a wide and all-accommodative concept.”
You May Like
