Political slugfest over drug party incident

After Patil’s comments, NCP leader Amol Mitkari said such incidents did not come to light as they were conducted with the blessings of Patil

Following a series of untoward incidents, the law-and-order situation in the city has come under scrutiny, and political parties are leaving no stone unturned to gain mileage out of the situation. Following the Porsche hit-and-run case, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule had criticised Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, also the state’s Home Minister, for his “neglect” towards Pune, amid the deteriorating law and order situation in the city.

Following a series of untoward incidents, the law-and-order situation in the city has come under scrutiny, and political parties are leaving no stone unturned to gain mileage out of the situation. (HT PHOTO)

Now, after the revelation of the alleged drug party in central city areas, BJP leader Chandrakant Patil has claimed that while he was the guardian minister of Pune district, the law-and-order situation was much better. Patil’s comment is considered a dig at NCP chief Ajit Pawar, who replaced the Kothrud MP as Pune’s guardian minister.

“When I was the guardian minister, such drug cases were not happening. In fact, during my tenure ₹7,000 crore drug stash was seized.”

After Patil’s comments, NCP leader Amol Mitkari said such incidents did not come to light as they were conducted with the blessings of Patil. “Now that Ajit Dada (Pawar) is the Guardian minister, such incidents are coming to light as drug peddlers have nowhere to hide,” Mitkari claimed.

According to NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, the BJP is focused on gaining power at any cost. “Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked his party to accept his resignation as deputy chief minister, but we are now urging that he leave the home ministry for the sake of the common man, as narcotics are widely available everywhere,” Pawar stated.

Congress leader and Kasba Peth MLA Ravindra Dhangekar criticised city police and the ruling state government, saying, “With the blessings of the State government, drugs are being made available openly, affecting the major youth population in the city. If a common man like me knows where drugs are available, why police are not taking action?”