The BJP workers were protesting against Nikhil Wagle for his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and LK Advani after the ruling party patriarch was awarded the Bharat Ratna.
Journalist Nikhil Wagle’s car was reportedly attacked on Friday by BJP workers in Pune while he was en route to attend an event, according to officials. The workers were purportedly protesting his statements against LK Advani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Advani was awarded the Bharat Ratna.
According to a Deccan police station officer, Wagle and two other individuals, Aseem Sarode and Vishwambhar Choudhary, were being driven under police protection to the Rashtra Seva Dal-organized "Nirbhay Bano" event in the Singhad Road vicinity when BJP activists threw ink at the car carrying Wagle.
Television footage showed BJP workers surrounding the car at Khandoji Baba Chowk, vandalizing it, and causing damage to the windscreen and side panes.
Workers from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi and the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena engaged in a confrontation outside the Rashtra Seva Dal premises earlier in the day in an attempt to stop Wagle from appearing at the function.
"Nikhil Wagle has been charged at the Vishrambaug police station with violating sections 153A (inciting hatred amongst various communities), 500 (defamation), and 505 (statements conducive to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). We are looking into this more," the spokesperson said.
In response to the contentious remarks, senior BJP leader Sunil Deodhar reported the 64-year-old journalist to the Vishrambaug police station on Tuesday.
