Man slaps Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, thrashed by supporters

Union Minister and chief of the Republican Party of India (RPI), Ramdas Athawale, was slapped and thrashed by a man at an event in Maharashtra's Ambernath on Saturday. Eyewitnesses said that Pravin Gosavi, a worker of the youth wing of RPI, slapped Athawale when he came down after addressing the gathering. After the incident, supporters of Athawale thrashed Gosavi for slapping the Union minister. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

The police have detained the accused but he was still undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. An FIR has also been registered against him. So far, the reason behind the attack was no known but the police said they were investigating the case and trying to ascertain the motive behind the act.

#WATCH Maha: People thrash Pravin Gosavi, a worker of the youth wing of Republican Party of India, who slapped Union Minister & party leader Ramdas Athawale at an event in Thane y'day. Gosavi has been admitted to a hospital. FIR registered against him, investigation on. (08.12) pic.twitter.com/zvYmNaV8Wi

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2018

Meanwhile, Republican Party of India workers gathered outside the residence of Athawale and called for Maharashtra bandh on Sunday. They alleged that it was a pre-planned attack and demanded the arrest of the mastermind.

"It was a pre-planned attack. Mastermind should be nabbed. We've called for a Maharashtra Bandh tomorrow (December 9)," one of the protesting RPI leaders was quoted by ANI.

Ramdas Athawale is the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the Narendra Modi government. He is a Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra. Earlier, he used to be the Lok Sabha MP from Pandharpur constituency.