MUMBAI: Blaming Maharashtra Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis for failure in maintaining law and order situation in the state the opposition demanded his resignation.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar claimed that the tension prevailing in Kolhapur and the protests by right-wing cannot be carried out without support from the ruling party.
Addressing a press conference in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Wednesday, Pawar said, “Incidents of communal clashes in Ahmednagar and Kolhapur have taken place over some mobile messages. What is the meaning of hitting the streets over such messages? Today’s ruling party encourages such things. Rulers should ensure peace and law and order. But if rulers start hitting the street and create enmity among two communities, that is not a good thing for the state.”
“The ruling BJP party should not promote such things. To maintain law and order is the responsibility of the ruling party, not to disturb and provoke. BJP is trying to divide society into religious and caste lines is not a good sign at all,” Pawar said.
“Churches were attacked in Odisha and other states. This is not the work of an individual, an ideology works behind this. This ideology is not good for the society,” Pawar added.
Slamming the state government, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole demanded the resignation of Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis. “How did glorifiers of Aurangzeb become active now? Riots are taking place in the state every day. What are the chief minister and home minister doing? The situation in the state is such that there is no longer rule of law in the state. It is ruled by criminals and miscreants,” said Patole.
Patole said that on May 19, a delegation of the Congress party met the Director General of Police of the state and demanded strict steps to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of women.
“Unfortunately, no action is being taken, Fadnavis should be stripped of Home portfolio immediately and the state should be given an experienced, competent and full-time home minister,” he said.
Patole claimed that the Shinde, Fadnavis came to power in Maharashtra by conspiracy. He further added that the BJP had attempted to incite riots in the state earlier but it had failed.
“Earlier in Sambhajinagar, Ahmednagar, Shevgaon, Amravati, and Nashik, there was an attempt to create riots-like situations in the state by inciting religious issues, but the attempt failed as the people took a stand of reconciliation. Again the fanatical forces are trying to spoil the atmosphere by pushing the issue of Aurangzeb in Ahmednagar and Kolhapur districts. If there was a competent police department, criminals would not have such courage. It is a cunning plan of the BJP to incite riots by fanning the religious issues in the state. So is Fadnavis unconsciously ignoring such incidents,” asked Patole.
“The present government has failed to maintain law and order. How have the bigoted forces become so active since Fadnavis became the Home Minister? After the first attempt to create riots in the state failed last month, now they are again trying to create unrest by bringing forward the issue of Aurangzeb,” Patole added.
He added, in a safe city like Mumbai, it has come to light that a student was tortured and killed in a hostel.
Former CM Prithviraj Chavan also accused the BJP of instigating riots and communal violence in the state and said that such instances will only grow as elections approach.