NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday threw ex-Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh under the bus, figuratively, and claimed his allegations against Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh were because of his removal from his post. He alleged that Singh was making ‘wild allegations’ against Deshmukh after he was removed from his post as Mumbai CP.
However, he did say that that the allegations made against the Home Minister Anil Deshmukh are serious. He further said that the Chief Minister has the full authority to initiate an enquiry against the home minister based on the allegations.
https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1373553804709294080?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwPawar admitted that Singh had met him regarding his transfer and said that it was Singh who got controversial Mumbai Police cop Sachin Vaze reinstated. He further added that the current controversy will not have any impact on the future of Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray in Maharashtra.
BJP questions Maha govt
On March 21, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad held a press conference to address the allegations against home Minister Anil Deshmukh. He also raised questions on the role of Sharad Pawar in the Sachin Vaze case.
https://twitter.com/BJP4India/status/1373534939157651461?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwHe added that Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray must answer the questions so clear his stand on the case.
Union Minister Prasad further asked why former Police Commission Param Bir Singh was briefing Sharad Pawar when he was not part of the government. He said, “Param Bir Singh said that he used to brief Sharad Pawar. He’s not a part of the government. Why was he briefing him? What is Sharad Pawar’s role?”
https://twitter.com/BJP4India/status/1373537384470519809?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwPrasad said that it was alleged Vaze was reinstated during Corona time as police officers were getting sick and there was not enough force. However, his party would like to know who really was behind his reinstatement? “Was it Shiv Sena, Chief Minister or Sharad Pawar?” Prasad asked.
https://twitter.com/BJP4India/status/1373536902263967744?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwVaze has been a member of the ruling party Shiv Sena. Further, Shiv Sena, through its mouthpiece Saamana as well as leaders like Sanjay Raut, have very vocally come out in support of Vaze. During his interrogation with the NIA, Vaze had revealed that he was just a tip of the iceberg and named big Shiv Sena leaders.
During the press conference, Prasad said that his party would like to know from the Maha Vikas Agadi government of Maharashtra that how many more dirty work had been sought to be done through Sachin Vaze. It was reported that in his letter, Param Bir Singh had mentioned that Vaze was allegedly asked to collect Rs 100 crore per month by Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
https://twitter.com/BJP4India/status/1373535626193072130?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwPrasad said that this was the target for Mumbai only. It is still unknown how much was the target for the rest of the state. He further added, “Anil Deshmukh has lost the authority to govern, even for a day. This is not a Maha Aghadi for governance or development, this is a Maha Aghadi for loot.”
https://twitter.com/BJP4India/status/1373538819341918210?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwPrasad said that in his decades’ long career as an MP and Minister, he had never seen a chief minister coming forward to save an assistant police inspector. “What are the secrets stored in Vaze stomach that the CM is defending him?” Prasad asked.
Raj Thackeray demanded the center’s intervention
In a statement, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s head Raj Thackeray said that the Maharashtra government is not equipped to initiate enquiry against home minister Anil Deshmukh.
https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1373526987222917120?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwHe further urged the central government to intervene and initiate an enquiry at the earliest. He alleged that once the central investigating agencies take over the case, many names will be revealed.