False complaint filed under Atrocities Act should be countered with robbery plaint: Shiv Sena MLA

Shiv Sena party symbol. File Pic

A video of Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad has gone viral on social media, in which he is purportedly heard saying that if anyone misuses the Atrocities Act and files a false complaint, the other party should file a cross-complaint of robbery against that person. He made the statement after visiting the family of a person, who is said to be falsely charged under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Chitoda Ambikapur village of Khamgaon tehsil in Maharashtra's Buldhana district.

"You should neither do injustice to anyone nor allow yourself to be subjected to injustice,'' the legislator from Buldhana is heard saying in the video. The Atrocities Act is for protection and not for blackmail and misuse, he said. "If someone files a false complaint of atrocities, you should file a cross complaint of robbery against that person. These people will withdraw the complaint of atrocities. Dispute over farm land doesn't amount to atrocities,'' he said.

Also Read: Atrocities case: Won't arrest Param Bir Singh till July 3, Maha govt tells HC

In the video, in which he is seen addressing a crowd, the MLA said that anti-social elements have no caste or religion.

"Create a team of youths to handle such issues. In future, if such cases happen, I will come with 10,000 people and teach them a lesson," Gaikwad said.

The legislator is also heard saying that he had got a message from ‘Matoshree' (personal residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray) asking him to visit the victim's family.

Gaikwad had recently courted a controversy by making a statement that he wishes he could ''stuff coronavirus in the mouth'' of BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis,

In the past, the legislator of the ruling party had also made comments over ‘warkaris' (devotees of Lord Vitthal undertaking annual pilgrimage to Pandharpur), asking them to eat non-vegetarian food and stop observing fasts.

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