Facing heat over the allegations of corruption against Home Minister Anil Deshmukh levelled by former Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh, the Shiv Sena on Monday, 22 March, launched a scathing attack on Singh and slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly using him to destabilise the state government.
In an editorial published by the party in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the Sena said that since the probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the Mukesh Ambani bomb-scare case and former API Sachin Vaze’s alleged involvement in it would have been traced back to Singh, he levelled the allegations to shield himself.
“While the possibility of Vaze’s involvement being traced back to Singh got stronger with the ongoing NIA investigation, he leveled these allegations to shield himself. If there is any truth to this, the BJP is clearly using Singh to defame the state government,” the editorial said.
Sena further alleged that the letter from Singh came just two days after the Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
While the Devendra Fadnavis-led Opposition has launched a full-blown attack on the Maharashtra government, demanding Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s resignation, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders are set to meet NCP supremo Sharad Pawar in Delhi on Monday to reportedly decide on his fate.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, too, has convened a Law & Judiciary Department review meeting on Monday.
Sena Slams BJP for Using Singh, Raises Questions on Contents of Letter
The Sena alleged that the same BJP that showed utmost mistrust in Singh throughout his tenure is now celebrating him and his letter in a clear case of political blindsiding.
“‘The Mumbai police chief is not to be trusted. We cannot have faith in him.’ That was the opinion of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) until yesterday. But the same BJP is celebrating Singh today,” it read.
The Sena targeted both Singh and the BJP for trying to destabilise the government.
“Param Bir Singh in his letter has alleged that the home minister had asked him to collect Rs 100 crore every month from pubs and bars. However, the question is, why would such a target be given when most of the pubs and bars have been shut for almost the past one and a half year,” the Sena said.
“Param Bir Singh should have had a little patience. Is Param Bir Singh being used by somebody to land the Maharashtra government in trouble? The storm that has been created because of API Sachin Vaze. But who gave Vaze unlimited power in the first place? Vaze did a lot of mischief. If that had been stopped in the earlier stages, the Mumbai Police’s reputation could have been saved. Despite performing well in some cases, his reputation was tarnished by the Vaze case,” it added.
‘ Maharashta’s Pride Questioned’
Further slamming the BJP, the Sena said that Singh’s allegations had tainted the Home Ministry and a crisis was handed over to the Opposition on a platter.
“Param Bir Singh is being used by the BJP. Singh’s allegations have certainly tainted the Home Ministry, but have also become a question of Maharashtra’s pride. A crisis has been handed over to the Opposition on a platter,” the Sena said.
The editorial further stated that the Opposition was firing shots at the government via Param Bir Singh. But governments don’t fall because of one officer.
Lauding Param Bir’s investigations in the Sushant Singh Rajput case and the handling of Kangana Ranaut’s tiff with the state government, the Sena said that it didn’t suit his stature to shoot a letter to the chief minister after he was transferred.
“The state government has acted against Singh, considering which his emotional outburst is understandable. But does it suit such a senior officer to make a confidential letter go viral? Writing a letter to the chief minister levelling allegations against the home minister – all the while spreading it in the media does not suit the discipline of a senior police officer,” the editorial read.
Maha Govt Ready to Probe Allegations: Raut
After NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday addressed the media and asked for the timing of the allegations to be probed, Raut on Monday defended Pawar and warned the BJP to not try to destabilise the government.
“If the NCP chief has decided that the allegations should be probed, then what is wrong? Anyone can level any allegation. If people demand a minister’s resignation anyhow, it will be difficult to run the government,” Raut told ANI.
Raut further said that the state government is ready to probe the allegations levelled against Deshmukh as well.
“The Home Minister (Deshmukh) said that the contents of the ‘letter bomb’ should be probed. The chief minister should investigate them. The NCP chief, too, said that it should be investigated. If the government is ready to accept the challenge of probing it, then why is the issue of resignation being raised repeatedly?” Raut said.
He further wanted the BJP to not try to get President’s Rule imposed in the state. “If someone is attempting to get President Rule imposed in Maharashtra by misusing central agencies, then I am warning them, you yourself will burn in that fire,” he told ANI.
Speaking to ANI, Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik said that Singh’s letter raised several questions, but there was no question of Deshmukh’s resignation.
“Param Bir Singh's letter raises questions. It was written after his transfer. There will be a probe (against Home Minister Anil Deshmukh). The resignation has been asked based on just one letter, so that will not happen. The party will take a call only after a probe,” he said.
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