Sharad Pawar slams govt for Bhima Koregaon violence

Sharad Pawar slams govt for Bhima Koregaon violence
Sharad Pawar
In affidavit to Bhima Koregaon Commission, NCP chief says state govt responsible for the law-and-order failure.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has blamed the Maharashtra government for the failure of its law enforcement agencies to prevent the January 1riots at Bhima Koregaon in an affidavit submitted to the Bhima Koregaon Commission recently.

“It is not possible for anti-social elements with a strong political vendetta to come together at such a large number at Bhima Koregaon without the failure of the law-enforcing agency. Hence the state has to own up responsibility for a failed law-and-order situation on January 1, 2018,” Pawar said in the affidavit, which was filed last week.

Led by former Calcutta High Court chief justice JN Patel and state Chief Information Commissioner Sumit Mullick, the Bhima Koregaon Commission resumed hearings in the case in Mumbai on Monday.

Bhima Koregaon: No coercive action against 2 activists: HC tells police

Court to hear petitions by Navlakha and Teltumbde next week.

The commission had summoned the chiefs of all parties, including Sharad Pawar; Congress leader and leader of the Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil; NCP leader Dhananjay Munde; Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray; and BJP state president Raosaheb Danve to help the commission and give suggestions to prevent further untoward incidents like the one that unfolded at Bhima-Koregaon. Of these, only Pawar has so far responded to the commission – by filing an affidavit and expressing his willingness to appear before the panel if needed.

In the affidavit, a copy of which is with Mirror, Pawar said: “Law and order is the complete responsibility of the state. There cannot be any excuse for whatsoever reason to disown the responsibility of a failed law-and-order machinery. The police enforcement authority [is] competent enough to handle a riot-like situations at any given circumstances. However, what is required is a strong political/legislative intent to permit the police machinery to work and execute law-and-order in a free and fair atmosphere. The quasi-judicial bodies like the district magistrate/collector, too, need to be competent enough to handle any emergency situation and execute the power vested upon them by the Constitution of the Union of India. It seems the law and enforcement machinery and the state of Maharashtra failed to execute the powers vested upon them by the Constitution.”

The former Union minister suggested measures to avoid a similar situation in the future, including monitoring social media, and amending laws. Pawar said the social media and messaging apps, i.e. WhatsApp groups, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, had gained complete control of society.

“There have to be reasonable restrictions on the misuse of the said freedom of speech if it creates a serious law-and-order situation. Hence strong and effective legislation at the behest of legislators is required to curb the menace of uncontrolled/untamed social media,” he said.

Fewer cabs, higher fares as Uber, Ola drivers strike

on Monday, 300 drivers assembled outside Uber’s office in Mumbai's Kurla area , shouting slogans and waving placards with messages like “Uber go back” and “Ola is the biggest thief”.

The NCP chief said the laws need to be “dynamic” and “not static”. “Various amendments are proposed for amending the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, and the Bombay Police Act, 1951, so as to ensure that the executive magistrate and police have more powers to execute the provisions of the said Act. Such amendments are required for effectively handling serious riot-like situations without political interference,” Pawar said.

When contacted, V Palnitkar, secretary of the commission, confirmed Pawar’s affidavit. “We had asked all party leaders to help us. Sharad Pawar is the only one who responded to our appeal. But I cannot disclose further details,” Palnitkar said.


City youth Congress workers complain against boss

Several office-bearers of the Mumbai Youth Congress have expressed unhappiness over the style of functioning of their chief Ganesh Yadav, according to a letter sent to the party leadership. The officebearers, including a vice-president,