Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, while reacting to the viral video showing him purportedly rebuking a woman IPS officer over a phone call, has said that his intention was not to interfere with law enforcement but to “ensure that the situation on the ground remained calm and did not escalate further”.
Pawar's clarification comes after the viral video lead to uproar on social media and a huge controversy.
“My attention has been drawn to certain videos circulating regarding my interaction with police officials in Solapur,” he wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The deputy chief minister added that he has the “highest respect for our police force and its officers, including the women officers who serve with distinction and courage.”
“I value the rule of law above all,” he wrote.
“I remain firmly committed to transparent governance and to ensuring that every illegal activity, including sand mining, is dealt with strictly as per the law,” he added.
What Ajit Pawar said to the IPS officer
A huge row erupted after a video surfaced online showing the sub-divisional police officer from Maharashtra's Solapur, Anjali Krishna, purportedly being rebuked by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar over a phone call.
Anjali Krishna was reportedly taking action against goons behind illegal excavation of the 'murrum' soil, and Pawar was allegedly ordering her not to do so.
{{/usCountry}}Anjali Krishna was reportedly taking action against goons behind illegal excavation of the 'murrum' soil, and Pawar was allegedly ordering her not to do so.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: 'How dare you?': Row over Ajit Pawar 'rebuking' IPS officer; NCP clarifies
“You stop the action and go back to your office. Tell the tehsildar that the action has been stopped on the orders of the deputy CM,” he is heard saying on the phone call in the viral video.
Later, when the IPS officer seemingly seeks to ascertain the identity of the person on the phone call as Ajit Pawar, the latter says sarcastically, “Main aapko video call karta hoon… tabhi aap mera chehra pahchan paoge (Will you be able to recognise my face if I make a video call?)”
Also read: Ajit’s phone ‘altercation’ with woman cop goes viral
However, before Ajit Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party issued a clarification earlier during the day that the deputy CM didn't intend to completely stop the action.
NCP state president Sunil Tatkare alleged that the clip was leaked on purpose and added that Pawar “is known for straight talk.” He added that what Ajit Pawar said or did on the phone call was “not wrong”
"He asked the woman IPS officer to defer the action as there were issues relating to law and order in the state. These things keep happening while dealing with the bureaucracy and there was nothing wrong with what he said or did,” Tatkare said.