Shiv Sena not happy with handling of Deshmukh controversy

While the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) struggles to defend home minister Anil Deshmukh, amid allegations of bribery by former top cop Param Bir Singh, the Shiv Sena, its ally in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, is supporting the NCP’s stand but wants a probe into the allegations

While the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) struggles to defend home minister Anil Deshmukh, amid allegations of bribery by former top cop Param Bir Singh, the Shiv Sena, its ally in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, is supporting the NCP’s stand but wants a probe into the allegations. Significantly, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has maintained silence over the issue.

CM Uddhav Thackeray

Sena MP Sanjay Raut has maintained the party supports the NCP’s stand not to sack Deshmukh. Party leaders said the Sena leadership also wanted some action against Deshmukh such as his ouster from the home department to send a message to the people that the government is taking action. The Sena is on the backfoot after NCP chief Sharad Pawar ruled out Deshmukh’s resignation.

In his first reaction to Singh’s letter that dropped on Saturday evening, Raut on Sunday called for “introspection” by all MVA partners and “corrections” to “come out clean”. A day later, Raut said there are several other issues before the government, including rising Covid-19 cases, besides Deskmukh’s resignation. Between the two statements, Raut met Pawar at the latter’s residence in New Delhi.

A senior Sena leader said the two leaders deliberated over options before the MVA. “Pawar saheb felt that if resignations are taken on merely wild allegations, it would set a wrong precedent,” said a leader, privy to the details. Further, the Sena is treading cautiously as the Opposition is targeting Sena minister Anil Parab, who is known to be close to Thackeray.

“If the chief of NCP has decided there is no truth in the allegations made on Deshmukh and there must be a probe, what is wrong in it? Levelling accusations has become a trend today.. If we keep taking resignations of everybody against whom accusations are levelled, running the government will become difficult,” Raut said in Delhi.

Raut, however, said a probe will be conducted by the government. “Param Bir Singh’s letter is being termed a bomb, but it is not so. Deshmukh has called for a probe on this letter. The chief minister himself will probe it... If the government is taking up the challenge of investigating, why is resignation being sought repeatedly,” he said, adding: “Till Thackeray is the chief minister, all issues can be probed in a free and fair manner”. There are speculations that Thackeray was not happy over the manner in which NCP ministers Dhananjay Munde and Deshmukh were protected by the party leadership, but Sena minister Sanjay Rathod, who faced allegations related to the death of Pune woman was asked to resign. Raut said Deshmukh and Rathod cannot be compared. Another option being considered is moving Deshmukh out of home portfolio. “If an inquiry is ordered, Deshmukh can be moved out and given another portfolio,” a Sena leader said.

Meanwhile, Raut said the attempt to get President’s rule in the state will not be successful as the government’s hands are “clean”. “If somebody is trying to misuse central agencies to impose the President’s rule, I wish to warn them that you will burn in that fire. I wish to tell them their efforts will not succeed... Henceforth, we will not even respond to your allegations,” Raut said.

The Sena leader said the Opposition is using Singh as a “weapon” now but they did not show much trust in him when he oversaw the TRP scam and action against actor Kangana Ranaut. “The opposition is now shooting the gun from his shoulder. But their gun doesn’t have any bullets,” he said.