Opposition parties on Wednesday slammed the Maharashtra government over the law and order situation in the state claiming that the recent violence in Nagpur was “due to its intelligence failure.” This came a day after the Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said the violence in Nagpur appeared to be a “premeditated conspiracy, and the mob had targeted specific houses and establishments.”
The statements came after Monday night’s unrest, during which a mob pelted stones at the police amid rumors that a community’s holy book had been burned during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad agitation demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
The violence escalated as the crowd hurled stones and petrol bombs, leaving 33 police personnel injured, including three officers of DCP rank.
‘Who lit fire there?…If violence was pre-planned’
Speaking in the legislative assembly, leader of opposition Vijay Wadettiwar said that Nagpur is Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s constituency. “Who lit the fire there?…If the violence was pre-planned, what happened was due to the intelligence failure. Police were nowhere to be seen for one-and-a-half hours after the violence broke out,” he alleged.
During the discussion on the home department’s budgetary demands, Wadettiwar questioned the inaction against a state minister despite his provocative statements stating: “Why is he not asked to resign?”
‘They don’t believe in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj‘
Meanwhile, Congress leader Nana Patole urged the Maharashtra government to hold a discussion in the Vidhan Sabha on the Nagpur violence. “Let us have a discussion in Vidhan Sabha; we will present our views there,” Patole told ANI.
“They don’t believe in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj; their only aim is to destroy Maharashtra…The government was involved in the incident in Nagpur,” he added.
‘An attempt was made to disturb its peace’
Congress MP Rajiv Shukla called for a fair investigation, emphasising the importance of maintaining peace in Maharashtra and Nagpur.
“Such types of incidents do not take place there. An attempt was made to disturb its peace. Action should be taken against those responsible for the incident…The Maharashtra government should conduct a fair investigation as the peace of Maharashtra and Nagpur is most important…,” Shukla told ANI.
‘Law and order is not in the hands of the police’
Further, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray criticised the government’s handling of law and order. “The sad thing is that law and order is not in the hands of the police. If law and order were in the hands of the police, then what you have been seeing for the last 2-3 years, countless rapes etc, would not have happened. But the Home Department, which is with the Chief Minister, has failed,” Thackeray told PTI.
‘Kidnapping, sexual assault cases have risen’
While, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Bhaskar Jadhav said: “Kidnapping, sexual assault cases have risen. Former Shiv Sena corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar was killed in broad daylight. Former minister Baba Siddique was also gunned down,” he said.
‘No need to create a scene over Aurangzeb’s tomb. He is in his grave’
The Centre should withdraw the protected monument status from Aurangzeb’s tomb in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district to avert potential unrest and pacify extremist elements in the state, according to Shiv Sena (UBT).
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party noted in its publication ‘Saamana’ that following the release of ‘Chhaava’, organisations including RSS, Bajrang Dal, VHP, and BJP’s recent Hindutva supporters have intensified discussions about Aurangzeb’s tomb, creating tension in the state.
The film “Chhaava”, featuring Vicky Kaushal, depicts the life of Sambhaji Maharaj, the Maratha empire’s second Chhatrapati, who suffered a brutal death at Aurangzeb’s hands. The editorial stated, “There is no need to create a scene over Aurangzeb’s tomb. He (Aurangzeb) is in his grave and he is not going to come out of it,” the editorial said.
A curfew has been imposed in several areas of Nagpur following the recent violence. Meanwhile, Nagpur Police have arrested 50 individuals, including seven minors, in connection with the violence, Commissioner Ravinder Singal announced on Wednesday.
The arrests followed an ongoing investigation, which also revealed damage to CCTV cameras during the chaos. Authorities are now probing the role of the alleged mastermind and analyzing the sequence of events leading up to the violence.
