MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has been pitching the son of the soil, Marathi manoos, agenda while appointing the top administrative and police posts in the state.
After the arrest of API Sachin Waze, Uddhav Thackeray shunted Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh and brought back the Maharashtra DG police Hemant Nagrale in Mumbai police.
As part of the son of the soil agenda, another 'Marathi manoos' Vishwas Nagare Patil was earlier appointed joint police commissioner, law and order while Milind Bharambe has given the charge of joint commissioner crime.
Interestingly, Maharashtra chief secretary Sitaram Kunte is also a Marathi manoos. Interestingly, the Bihar cadre IPS office Shivdeep Lande has been promoted to DIG of Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).
While choosing Hemant Nagrale as the Mumbai police commissioner in the place of Parambir Singh, NCP has finalised the 1988 batch IPS officer Rajnish Seth as the new police commissioner.
But chief minister Uddhav Thackeray overruled and insisted Marathi manoos Hemant Nagrale who comes from a very humble background as the new CP of Mumbai. When Parambir Singh was earlier chosen as Mumbai CP, that time also Uddhav Thackeray was reluctant, but NCP chief Sharad Pawar insisted on appointing Parambir Singh as Mumbai CP.
"Thackeray is very comfortable with Marathi manoos that helps him to expand his party base and espouse his party agenda as well," said a source in government on request of anonymity.
Sanjay Pandey, Maharashtra’s senior-most cops lashed out at Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for wrecking his career till the end. Pandey said he was the senior-most police officer and still wasn't appointed for Mumbai police commissioner and DG, Police Maharashtra. Pandey was given the side posting, as a head of Maharashtra state security cooperation.
Pandey in his complaint letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the injustice has been done with him during the recent transfer. He said Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar applauded his work and yet ignored him for top-posting.
Surendra Jhondale, professor of Political Science at Mumbai University said that the "Shiv Sena was born for Marathi manoos agenda, now they are in power and hence are pursuing this agenda aggressively."
"But Uddhav Thackeray is also checking out efficiency and uprightness of the the officer while appointing them at crucial posts. This Maha Vikas Aghadi government is constantly fighting with the BJP led powerful centre government therefore Thackeray and Pawar needs the trusted, loyal and efficient lieutenants that will not succumb before the Delhi’s pressure in this long-drawn battle," said Jondhale.