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Workers of Yashwant Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party clashed on Thursday over demand for the Dhangar reservation plea. (Photo: Debasish Dey)

The Dhangar reservation issue took a violent turn as activists of Yashwant Sena barged into the NCP office premises at Nariman Point on Thursday and created a ruckus. It resulted in clashes between NCP and Yashwant Sena workers, due to which tension prevailed in the area for a while.

The NCP alleged that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is behind the violence by sending his goons at the party office. It has also demanded his resignation over the issue.

On Friday afternoon, workers claiming to be members of the Yashwant Sena, an outfit that advocates a reservation for Dhangar community under Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, created a ruckus at the NCP office. Raising banners and slogans against senior NCP leader Madhukar Pichad, they also tried to vandalise property. They alleged that Mr Pichad had opposed reservation for the Dhangars. However, the NCP workers, especially women, inside the office scuffled with them.

NCP spokesman Nawab Malik alleged the whole incident has been staged by Mr Fadnavis. “He has lost the right to remain the CM on moral grounds. We therefore demand his immediate resignation,” he added.

“After they barged into our party premises, they created a ruckus for around 30 minutes during which there was not a single police personnel present. They even blocked the road outside Vidhan Bhavan. It’s a serious matter that a party office and the leaders are attacked just opposite of Mantralaya,” said Mr Malik.

The party remains firm on its stand that reservation should be given to Dhangars, but not violating the rights of Adivasis. The Centre should convene a special Cabinet meeting at the earliest on this issue, he added.

However, the BJP refuted the NCP’s allegations. “The CM will never resort to such dirty measures. The NCP’s comments shouldn’t be even taken seriously as they are just a source of amusement for the people of the state,” party spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said.