The Maharashtra Assembly entered the final week of its Budget Session on Monday, with heated discussions centering on the status of Aurangzeb’s tomb, the Disha Salian investigation, and comedian Kunal Kamra’s recent remarks.
The opposition spearheaded a debate on the state’s deteriorating law and order situation, highlighting several high-profile cases such as the death of Somnath Suryawanshi in Parbhani, the murder of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh and the rising corruption in the state.
NCP (SP) MLA Jayant Patil raised serious concerns about the Parbhani incident highlighting the custodial death of Somnath Suryawanshi. Challenging the government’s response, Patil asked, “Can merely suspending three police officers be considered justice for Somnath?”
Patil also criticised the handling of the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. He pointed out that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis gave only a 30-second statement on the case and, despite over two months passing, the police have failed to arrest all the accused. Additionally, he emphasised that there is no historical record of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj promoting religious hatred. “We must think about the direction Maharashtra is heading in. How far should political ambitions be allowed to override ethical boundaries?” he asked.
Congress MLA Nana Patole made explosive allegations during the law and order debate, claiming the Nagpur riots were a government-orchestrated conspiracy. He accused Fadnavis of deliberately omitting crucial facts in his Assembly statement about the violence.
Patole stated, “No one supports the riots, but who instigated them? Where did it all begin? The CM did not address these questions. During the riots, a green cloth was set on fire. Usually, the police seize such items during protests, but why didn’t the Nagpur police take possession of that cloth? If they had, this incident would not have occurred.”
He further emphasised that the riots took place in the same area where CM Fadnavis spent his childhood. “Nagpur has always been a city of communal harmony. Such incidents have never happened before. However, during these riots, the police remained mere spectators. The Home Minister must answer for this,” Patole demanded
