BackAllegations against Anil Deshmukh serious: Sharad Pawar on sacked Param Bir Singh's letter to CM
The Maharashtra CM has the full authority to take a decision regarding an inquiry on these allegations against the Home Minister,' Sharad Pawar said
PremiumNationalist Congress Party(NCP) chief Sharad Pawar today spoke on the allegations of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh's letter to CM Uddhav Thackeray.
Param Bir Singh has claimed Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh wanted police officers to collect ₹100 crore monthly from bars and hotels.
The senior leader at a press conference in Delhi said, "The allegations against the Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh are serious."
"The Maharashtra CM has the full authority to take a decision regarding an inquiry on these allegations against the Home Minister," the senior leader noted.
The NCP supremo also said that he will discuss with Uddhav Thackeray on being asked if Anil Deshmukh will be removed as home minister of Maharashtra.
Pawar also said that he would suggest Uddhav Thackeray to seek former IPS officer Julio Ribeiro's help for looking into claims by Param Bir Singh and also added that Param Bir Singh was making wild allegations because he was removed as Mumbai Police Commissioner by the state government.
Pawar said neither the chief minister nor the state home minister were responsible for reinstatement of police officer Sachin Waze in the police force last year.
The NCP supremo said there is no impact on the MVA government in Maharashtra because of Singh's allegations. Sharad Pawar said, "I don't know whether efforts are being made or not to topple the government (Maharashtra). All I can say is they will have no impact on the government."
In the eight-page letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Singh alleged that Deshmukh used to call police officers to his official residence and give them a "collection target" from bars, restaurants and other establishments.
Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut today admitted that the allegations made by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh against minister Anil Deshmukh, and the Sachin Waze case have tainted the image of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state, and said all allies need to introspect if their feet are on the ground.
Talking to reporters, he also said that "something needs to be rectified" and the ruling allies should come together to discuss how these stains can be washed off.
His statements come in the wake of Param Bir Singh's letter sent on Saturday to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in which he has alleged that Home Minister Anil Deshmukh wanted police officers to collect at least ₹100 crore from city bars and hotels every month, a charge denied by the minister.
"Such allegations against the government or ministers are unfortunate and shocking. The contents (of Singh's letter) are sensational," he said.
"The veracity of the letter's contents will be done by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and (NCP president) Sharad Pawar. The MVA government has completed a year-and-a-half now and all allies need to introspect if their feet are on the ground," he said.
Raut said the police administration is the backbone of any government.
The backbone is symbol of pride and self-respect and the government should always strengthen it, he added.
"This government is doing well. But now something needs to be rectified and the MVA allies should get together to discuss how the stain can be washed off," he said.
"I have to accept that these allegations and the Waze case have tainted the image of the government...Uddhav Thackeray has always tried to keep the government's image clean. What happens because of government officials needs to controlled at the right time," the Shiv Sena MP added.
Raut said that Deshmukh himself has called for an investigation into the allegations against him.
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