Bombs were meant to target Marathas, says Jitendra Awhad

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Jitendra Awhad has alleged that the bombs recovered from right-wing activist Vaibhav Raut’s home were meant to be used for Maratha marches. Mr Awhad, who made this allegation on microblogging site Twitter on Saturday morning, also claimed  that this was an attempt by extreme right-wing groups to push Maharashtra into anarchy. Mr Awhad also demanded the arrest of Sanjiv Punalekar, the lawyer of various right-wing accused, for ‘supporting’ them.

Mr Awhad tweeted, “Vaibhav Raut and his two colleagues were caught with eight crude bomb by the Anti-Terrorism Squad. There was a plan to make 50 such bombs. This was aimed to disturb the Maratha morcha. It was clear plan to push Maharashtra into anarchy.”

In another tweet, the NCP MLA said, “If lawyer Surendra Gadling could be arrested for just being a lawyer of Naxalites, Sanjiv Punalekar should also be arrested under the law of sedition as he openly supports those accused of making bomb.”

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on Friday arrested  three persons and detained many others the following day in the alleged conspiracy to plant bombs in various cities of the state. These people have been identified as members of extreme right-wing groups, and the Opposition has been demanding a ban on these organisations.

The Maratha community has been hitting the streets in various parts of the state, demanding reservation in education and government jobs. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra ATS has not reacted to Mr Awhad’s allegations.