Pawar blames CM-headed law dept for failure

The Supreme Court's decision to quash the ban on dance bars has led to yet another tiff between the Congress and its ally the Nationalist Congress Pasty (NCP).

The Supreme Court's decision to quash the ban on dance bars has led to yet another tiff between the Congress and its ally the Nationalist Congress Pasty (NCP).

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The NCP is blaming the law and judiciary department, headed by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, for not representing the government's stand in court.

While addressing students at a function organised by the students' wing of the NCP on Friday, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said it was because of inept handling that the state government could not protect the law passed in the legislature.

Pawar also advised higher and technical education minister and NCP leader Rajesh Tope to take due precautions while forming law for re-introducing elections in colleges.

The statement is seen as part of the NCP's bid to shift the onus of the dance bar ban on the Congress. The law and judiciary department has been with Congress ministers since 1999.

Congress leaders, however, hit back at their allies and said the party could not be held responsible for the failure.

"It was a decision of the Democratic Front government taken collectively by both the parties. The onus cannot be shifted entirely on a department held by Congress," said Manikrao Thakre, state Congress president

An officer from the law and judiciary department said the law was drafted by the home department.

"We had the best lawyers representing the government. Everything else was done by the home department," he said.