Mumbai, June 16: A video featuring BJP leader Ashok Shelke has gone viral on social media, showing him allegedly assaulting a street vendor in Nalasopara, Mumbai. In response to the growing controversy, Shelke has labeled the video as “incomplete.”
Reports indicate that on Sunday evening, the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation team was conducting an operation against illegal stalls and encroachments in front of the D-Mart complex in Nalasopara East. During this operation, a heated argument erupted between street vendors and BJP workers. Allegedly, a vendor raised his hand against a BJP worker, prompting Shelke, who was present at the scene, to react angrily and reportedly assault the vendor. A bystander recorded the incident, which later spread across social media platforms.
Following the backlash, Shelke stated that the viral video does not depict the full incident. He mentioned that on weekends, an average of 5,000 to 7,000 people frequent the D-Mart area, with around 25,000 residents nearby. He claimed that approximately 150 gas cylinders were stored within a 100-meter radius. Shelke warned that if any of these cylinders exploded, it could lead to significant casualties.
He further explained that for the past two Sundays, vendors had been advised to relocate to safer areas, but they refused to comply. Shelke alleged that when he and his team arrived, the vendors attacked BJP worker Harilal Jaiswal.
He emphasized that a reaction was natural when his worker was assaulted. Shelke also noted that some individuals are linking this issue to North Indians, even though the injured BJP worker, Jaiswal, is also of North Indian descent. He questioned why no one came forward to support Jaiswal when he was attacked.
Leave a Comment