The brutal assault of NCP (SP) leader and former Deputy Mayor Ayaz Mulla by ex-BJP MP Sanjay Kaka Patil has sparked widespread outrage and protests in the Tasgaon Kavathe Mahankal constituency.

The incident, which occurred at Mulla’s residence on Friday, also involved the manhandling of his 76-year-old mother and other women who tried to intervene.

Protest By Rohit RR Patil Demanding Swift Action

In response, the NCP (SP) staged a large public protest today, led by Rohit RR Patil, son of former Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil, and sitting MLA Sumantai RR Patil. The protestors are demanding immediate action and the filing of criminal charges against Sanjay Kaka Patil.

NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar voiced his support for Mulla and the Patil family and took to Twitter to condemn the incident.

“BJP leaders, with the blessings of ‘Sagar Bungalow,’ are spreading terror across the state,” Pawar said, in a pointed criticism of Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who resides at the bungalow in Mumbai.

He urged the police to extend legal protection to Ayaz Mulla’s family, warning that “otherwise, all of us will have to come there to put an end to this terror.”

This incident has further fueled the political tensions in Tasgaon Kavathe Mahankal, a constituency that was long represented by the late RR Patil. A fierce rivalry between the Patil family and Sanjay Kaka Patil has intensified, particularly since 25-year-old Rohit RR Patil led the NCP to a surprising victory in the 2022 local body elections.

“Such acts of violence will not be tolerated in a democracy. Hooliganism will not break the spirit of the people of Kavathe Mahankal. We will deliver a strong message in the upcoming Assembly elections,” said Rohit RR Patil, accusing Sanjay Kaka Patil of leading a gang of armed men during his time as an MP.

“What kind of masculinity are they trying to prove by assaulting women? If this is how they behave, how can anyone feel safe in Kavathe Mahankal if their son becomes an MLA?” Rohit RR Patil added, referencing Sanjay Kaka Patil’s son, Prabhakar Patil, who is expected to contest against him in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections.

This incident comes in the wake of a tense political atmosphere in the Sangli Lok Sabha constituency, where Sanjay Kaka Patil was unseated in a hotly contested election.