#JustIn: FIRs Filed Aagainst BJP and Congress Leaders After Stone-Pelting at Congress Bhavan

Police in Pune have registered first information reports (FIRs) against leaders and workers of both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress after a protest outside Congress Bhavan escalated into stone-pelting and clashes on Sunday, officials said. The unrest followed sharp political tensions triggered by remarks made by Harshwardhan Sapkal, president of the Maharashtra Congress.

The incident began when BJP workers, led by local leaders including Pune city unit president Dheeraj Ghate and youth wing chief Dushyant Mohol, gathered outside the Congress office to protest against Sapkal’s comments about historical figures Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Tipu Sultan. The BJP alleged that the remarks hurt sentiments of those who revere Shivaji Maharaj, prompting the demonstration.

Police said that as the protest intensified, stone-pelting broke out between workers from both parties, injuring at least nine people — including party workers, two police personnel and two journalists — and damaging several vehicles near the Congress Bhavan. Multiple police teams were deployed to contain the situation.

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Following cross-complaints, Pune City Police registered separate FIRs under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections related to unlawful assembly, causing hurt by dangerous means and mischief. One complaint, filed by a local resident based on allegations by BJP workers, names Ghate, Mohol and about 50–60 BJP workers in connection with stone-pelting against Congress activists. A second FIR was filed against Congress city president Arvind Shinde, two local leaders and unidentified party workers after counter-complaints from the BJP.

The clashes are rooted in a broader political row that began with an FIR lodged by the BJP against Sapkal earlier in Pune for allegedly equating the historical contributions of Tipu Sultan with those of Shivaji Maharaj — comments that drew widespread criticism and legal action. The BJP demanded an apology and accused Sapkal of hurting public sentiments.

Senior police officials have collected electronic evidence from the site, with investigations ongoing and no arrests reported so far. Authorities have urged calm and appealed to political groups to resolve disputes through legal and non-violent means. The confrontations in Pune illustrate how historical interpretations and political rhetoric can quickly escalate into public disorder in the current charged environment.

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