Congress Targets Fadnavis Over Assault On Minister’s Brother, Nephew
Congress demands Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis’ resignation after the assault of minister Atul Save’s brother and nephew.
A day after Maharashtra minister Atul Save’s brother and nephew were assaulted in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, the Congress on Friday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.
State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal accused Mr Fadnavis of “incompetent governance” and alleged that Maharashtra was being turned into a “Taliban”. He claimed that the police force was being misused to target political opponents and operate extortion rackets rather than ensure the safety of citizens.
Mr Sapkal questioned the security of ordinary citizens when even the family members of a serving minister were allegedly not safe. He also referred to an earlier incident in Jalgaon in which, according to him, a Union minister had to personally visit a police station to report alleged harassment of her daughter.
The Congress leader alleged that gangsters and criminal groups were operating freely across the state with political patronage, while the illegal drug trade continued to expand without adequate government intervention.
Mr Save’s elder brother, Ajit Moreshwar Save, 70, and his nephew, Amey Ajit Save, 35, were allegedly assaulted by unidentified persons in connection with a land dispute. Both sustained serious injuries and were admitted to hospital for treatment.
According to reports, the incident took place in Paithan taluka of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. The Save family owns agricultural land at Naigaon Khandewadi and had been involved in a dispute with some local residents over the farm boundary and an access road. The dispute allegedly turned violent when a group attacked the minister’s relatives with sticks and iron rods.
Mr Sapkal also criticised the police over what he described as a growing focus on targeting political opponents instead of maintaining public order. He cited recent action by the State Human Rights Commission, which recommended registration of cases against senior police officers, including Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, over the alleged parading of minor accused persons on a car bonnet.
Referring to another incident in Ahilyanagar district, Mr Sapkal condemned the alleged assault of two men, Vijay Shelke and Mahesh Jadhav, who were reportedly stripped, beaten and forced to drink urine in the name of cow protection. He demanded that the accused be booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
