New Delhi: Aghast and alarmed at the daylight attack on retired naval officer Madan Sharma, hundreds of armed forces veterans today condemned the intolerant hooliganism of Sena workers.
The 65-year-old Navy veteran was attacked by Shiv Sena workers inside the residential society, allegedly for sharing a WhatsApp cartoon lampooning Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
In a statement, the Armed Forces veterans termed the bail granted to criminals who carried out the assault as “added insult to injury”.
The veterans while unequivocally condemning the attack, wrote, “It is unbelievably shocking, and categorically unacceptable for the veterans of Armed Forces of India, to suffer as helpless victims of hooliganism in Mumbai, as has been experienced in the case of Navy Veteran Madan Sharma, having been brutally beaten up for a triviality by Shiv-Sena activists, causing grievous injuries, trauma and loss of honour to the Veteran at his Mumbai residential complex.”
More than 600 military veterans have signed this statement, which include very senior officers including Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik (retd), Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha (retd), Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (retd) and Air Marshall S P Singh (retd).
The statement has also been signed by 31 retired Lieutenant Generals, 44 retired Major Generals, 38 retired Brigadiers and 40 retired Commodore rank officers.
“It is unbelievable that the Mumbai police investigation, as well as the Maharashtra government prosecutors, took this serious matter so casually that there has not been even a semblance of justice in this case,” the statement added.
READ STATEMENT:
Navy veteran demands Uddhav’s resignation
Meanwhile, the retired Navy officer Madan Sharma, who was beaten up by Shiv Sena workers hit out at Uddhav Thackeray.
“I request Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray ji that if you cannot run the government, then you should resign. Let people elect a government that can maintain law and order in Maharashtra,” he said while speaking to media.
