New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (February 21, 2023) launched a scathing attack on the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction after singer Sonu Nigam was pushed and his two colleagues manhandled by the son of a Shiv Sena MLA at an event in Mumbai. Calling it a "Gundon ki sena", BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that it is "not the first time" such an incident has happened.


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"This is a complete political frustration," Poonawalla said in a video statement released on his Twitter handle and claimed that earlier, a Shiv Sena leader had attacked a 60-year-old man.

"Uddhav Ji should tell us whether he will take action on this MLA and whether such kind of politics is condemned by him," he added.


"This is the true face of Uddhav's Sena," the BJP spokesman said.



Sonu Nigam pushed, colleagues manhandled at Mumbai event; FIR filed against Shiv Sena MLA's son


Earlier on Tuesday, police said that Sonu Nigam was pushed and his two colleagues manhandled during a scuffle over taking a selfie with the singer at a musical event in Mumbai. A colleague of Nigam was injured in the incident which took place at Chembur Gymkhana on Monday night after the singer's live performance, an official said.


Based on a complaint filed by Nigam, the Chembur police registered an FIR against Swapnil Phaterpekar, the son of Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Phaterpekar, under Indian Penal Code Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), the official said.


Prakash Phaterpekar is a Shiv Sena MLA from the Chembur constituency.


Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Phaterpekar's son came from back, caught hold of Sonu Nigam


According to Nigam's complaint, he and his colleagues were leaving the stage after the performance when a man, later identified as Swapnil Phaterpekar, came from the back and caught hold of the singer.


As per the complaint, Nigam's colleague Hari Prakash tried to stop the accused and took him aside. However, the accused allegedly manhandled Prakash due to which he fell down from the stage, the official said quoting the complaint.


The accused then pushed Nigam due to which he also fell on the stairs, as per the complaint.


When Nigam's other colleague Rabbani Khan came forward to help him, the accused allegedly manhandled him also. Khan, too, fell down, said the complaint.



The support staff present near the stage then came forward and stopped the accused, an official from Chembur police station said.


Khan, who received injuries, was taken to a private hospital in Chembur, he said.


Nigam went to the Chembur police station in the early hours of Tuesday, recorded his statement and filed a complaint against the accused, the official said, adding a probe was underway into the case.


(With agency inputs)