On December 19, 2024, tensions surged in Mumbai as members of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) youth wing, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), stormed and ransacked the Congress party’s city office in Dadar.
This was in protest of alleged derogatory comments made by Congress workers about Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution.
Details of the Incident
Around 4:30 PM, BJYM workers stormed into the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) office, led by their chief Tajinder Singh Tiwana.
They reportedly hit photographs of prominent Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, with ink, broke glass doors, and damaged other office property. They accused the Congress of disrespect to Dr. Ambedkar and sought an apology.
Tension flared as Congress workers, present at the office, attempted to resist the invasion: this led to scuffles between the two groups.
In response, the Mumbai Police intervened and conducted a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. At least ten BJYM activists were arrested after the incident.
Reasons Catalyzing the Events
The protest was sparked off with Congress leaders making statements considered insulting by the BJP toward Dr. Ambedkar. The BJYM accused Congress of attempting to undermine Dr. Ambedkar’s legacy and, for political expediency, misrepresent historical facts.
“It is the Congress party, which made a number of amendments to the Constitution through misuse of power and is Leveling baseless allegations against others. The Congress wants to paint itself as the Savior of Dalits, whereas they never provided an iota of opportunity for the Dalit community,” stated Tajinder Singh Tiwana.
Congress’s Reply
The Congress Party condemned the retaliation as constituted hooliganism and intended to divert the public from Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s contemptuous reference to Dr. Ambedkar in Parliament.
Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad has condemned the BJP: “This is what the BJP and Sangh Parivar have always done when they have heard Babasaheb’s name—attack and vandalism.
Look at the level BJP goons are stooping to just to save Amit Shah and divert attention from the abominable statement he made against Mahamanav, Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.”
Other Congress leaders stated that during the attack, the females in charge were molested and numerous workers injured during the course of doing their duties. They demanded immediate arrest of the alleged rogues and said the police did nothing to prevent the attack.
Police Action and Calibrations
An offense of rioting, unlawful assembly and culpable damage to private property was registered after the incident by the police.
A senior police official has said that while the policemen were busy securing another event, a gang of BJYM workers had quietly entered the MRCC office and started to riot. The police had no choice but to lathi-charge to disperse the mob. They arrested ten workers.
Political Aftermath
This incident has intensified the ongoing political tussle between the BJP and Congress in Maharashtra.
Congress leaders have charged the BJP with intimidation measures to suppress dissent and distract public attention from glaring issues. They demanded a thorough inquiry and punishment for the assault on the Congress Office.
On the other hand, the BJP argues that their act of vindication was a grudged payback for the Congress’s alleged dishonor to Dr. Ambedkar. They have threatened to continue with the demonstrations if the Congress does not duly apologize and withdraw the previous comments.
