Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that Eknath Shinde as minister in the then Uddhav Thackeray government had Z-level security cover.
Earlier on Friday, Shiv Sena MLAs from Shinde’s camp, including former minister of state for home Shambhuraj Desai, claimed that despite Shinde getting a threat from Naxals, he was not given the highest `Z-plus’ security cover as Thackeray did not allow it.
“Providing security does not come under the cabinet’s purview. A committee headed by the chief secretary, home secretary and other senior officials takes decisions,” said Pawar whose party was part of the Thackeray-led coalition government. He was speaking at an event in Pune.
According to Pawar, Dilip Walse-Patil, who was then the home minister, had told him that Shinde had Z-level security and also additional police protection as he was the guardian minister of Gadchiroli.
Earlier in the day, Walse-Patil denied the allegation that Shinde was not provided adequate security when the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was in power.
According to Walse-Patil, Thackeray never gave any instruction not to upgrade Shinde’s security.
“The decision about security cover is taken by a special committee. A Z-level security had been provided to the then deputy chief minister, home minister and Shinde. When Shinde received a threatening letter, strict orders were given to the police department as well as Thane police (to take necessary action). So, this controversy about Shinde’s security is unnecessary,” Walse-Patil said.
Shinde, now the Maharashtra chief minister, was `guardian minister’ for the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district besides being minister for urban development in the Thackeray government.
{{/usCountry}}Shinde, now the Maharashtra chief minister, was `guardian minister’ for the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district besides being minister for urban development in the Thackeray government.
{{/usCountry}}‘Purandare’s works did injustice to Shivaji Maharaj’
Pawar criticised the late Babasaheb Purandare saying, “Purandare’s speeches and books did injustice to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He portrayed many characters like Dadoji Kondev and Ramdas in a way different from reality.”
The NCP chief said, “Purandare’s speeches and books reached maximum places. The Maharashtra government appointed a committee to check whether Dadoji Kondev was a teacher of Shivaji Maharaj. The committee had given a decision of no such relation and the whole credit goes to Rajmata Jijau for the upbringing of Shivaji Maharaj. The Maharashtra government even scrapped the award which was given in the name of Dadoji Kondev.”
According to Pawar, after the parliamentary session, his party will organise a meeting to promote more historical writings based on facts.