Fadnavis moves breach of privilege motion against Maharashtra home minister

A day after state home minister Anil Deshmukh made serious allegations in the Anvay Naik suicide case, leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis moved a breach of privilege notice against him, accusing Deshmukh of making a false allegation

A day after state home minister Anil Deshmukh made serious allegations in the Anvay Naik suicide case, leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis moved a breach of privilege notice against him, accusing Deshmukh of making a false allegation. He also said the allegations were made to mount pressure on him from performing his duties as the leader of opposition. Deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal said he would examine the notice and take appropriate decision.

Devendra Fadnavis.

Naik was an interior designer based in Alibag in Raigad. He allegedly killed himself in 2018. Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was arrested in alleged connection with the case. When opposition legislators created a din over a demand to arrest a police officer Sachin Vaze, who is under scanner in the death of Mansukh Hiran, an auto parts dealer linked to the car found parked outside billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s residence on February 25 with 20 sticks of gelatin and a threatening letter, Deshmukh on Tuesday said Fadnavis as then chief minister had “covered up” Naik suicide case. “He made the statement despite a decision by the Supreme Court which said that prima facie evaluation of the FIR did not establish the ingredients of the offence of abetment to suicide,” Fadnavis said in the lower House. “The allegations against me are misleading.”

Fadnavis announced moving another breach of privilege motion against PWD minister Ashok Chavan in Maratha reservation case. On Wednesday, Chavan made a statement in the lower House over Maratha reservation. He said that the Attorney General KK Venugopal during a hearing before the Supreme Court said that post 102nd Constitutional amendment in 2018 only the President or the central government can provide reservation to the backward classes and not states. By taking such a stand, the Centre has created doubt over validity of the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act unanimously passed by this House to provide reservation benefits to the Maratha community. “However, the apex court accepted the state government’s request for seeking opinion of all the states whether the 50% ceiling limit on reservation needs to be reconsidered,” Chavan said.

Fadnavis said that Chavan made a false statement in the House. “He (Ashok Chavan) tried to quote the Attorney General out of context,” he told reporters s.

“I have mentioned what the Attorney General has said before the Supreme Court. We were expecting a clear stand of the (BJP led) central government over Maratha reservation but they (BJP) are taking different stands at different places. They (BJP) are taking a stand here in Maharashtra and another in Delhi,” Chavan told reporters.