Yogendra Yadav manhandled at public meeting in Akola

Mumbai: Political activist Yogendra Yadav was allegedly manhandled by workers of the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) during a public meeting in Maharashtra’s Akola district on Monday.

The incident occurred when Yadav was about to address a public meeting on the alleged threat to democracy and the Constitution.

In a video posted on X, the 61-year-old said that as soon as he was called to speak, a man came running and grabbed the mic, before 50-60 other people joined him and started creating a ruckus.

“The police then requested us to leave and escorted us out of the venue. The mob followed us till the police vehicle, and broke chairs and tables [at the venue],” he said in the video.

In a video posted by news agency ANI, Yadav is seen being manhandled by a mob while the police are escorting him. He called the attack on him and his colleagues “unfortunate for Maharashtra and people who want to protect the Constitution and believe in democracy”. He added that this was the first time such an incident had occurred in the last 25 years that he has been travelling to Maharashtra.

VBA chief Ambedkar denied that his workers manhandled Yadav and claimed that, on the contrary, they were attacked. “Our people questioned him on how reservation was in danger, and they were attacked. One of my supporters, Qureshi, is in hospital after he was beaten up.” Akola sub-divisional police officer Satish Kulkarni said, “There was an argument between two groups and no one was injured.”

Yadav, along with other activists like Ulka Mahajan and Sanjay Mangala Gopal, are on a three-day tour of Vidarbha as part of the Bharat Jodo Abhiyan, an initiative launched by civil society groups to “protect and promote constitutional values and democratic institutions”.