NCP (SP) legislator Jitendra Awhad fumes after cop in civilian clothes records his press conference

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Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Jitendra Awhad on Friday objected to a cop recording his press conference, and detained him for a while while accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Maharashtra government of keeping the opposition under surveillance, news agency PTI reported.

The incident took place at the former state housing minister's residence in Thane, where he had called mediapersons.

Noticing that a man in civilian clothing was recording a video of his press conference, Jitendra Awhad sought to know his identity, PTI reported. The person said he was from the Special Branch of Thane Police.

"Why are the police keeping a watch on Opposition leaders? Instead of targeting us, they should focus on individuals like Walmik Karad," the NCP(SP) legislator said. Karad, a close aide of NCP Minister Dhananjay Munde, was arrested in an extortion case related to the murder of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district.

"How can the police enter my private residence during a press conference? What exactly does the government aim to achieve with such surveillance?" Jitendra Awhad questioned, and said he would not allow the police personnel to leave until senior officials furnished explanation on the incident.

After speaking to a senior official over phone, the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Mumbra-Kalwa constituency let the policeman leave.

Talking about the Santosh Deshmukh murder case, Jitendra Awhad claimed that Karad's notoriety in Beed district surpasses even that of gangsters such as Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Rajan and Arun Gawli.

According to PTI, Jitendra Awhad said that industrialists in Mumbai feared these gangsters, but in Beed, even the police are afraid of Karad.

Gadchiroli's development good for Maharashtra: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said party mouthpiece Saamana had words of praise for Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in an editorial as the state government had done a "commendable job" by getting the Naxalites operating in Gadchiroli district to surrender.

According to ANI, Raut hit out at the previous guardian minister of Gadchiroli, alleging that he appointed his agents and collected money that increased Naxalism.

He said that Shiv Sena (UBT) appreciates that the Chief Minister has taken charge of Gadchiroli as the guardian minister.

"We have praised Devendra Fadnavis because the government has done a good job. Maharashtra is our state and a place like Gadchiroli which is affected by Naxalism - if the Naxalites surrendered and opted for the constitutional path - we welcome that. The earlier 'guardian minister' could have done that - but instead, he appointed his agents and collected money that increased Naxalism... We have worked with Devendra Fadnavis - that relation goes on, but we are in the opposition and we will continue to raise the issues as well," Raut told reporters in a press conference.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament (MP) further said that Gadchiroli's development will be "good" for the entire state. He also stated that the party has appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well when he has done good work.

"I have seen the visuals of Naxalites, surrendering their arms and accepting the Indian constitution, so if someone does that it must be appreciated. If a district like Gadchiroli is developed it's good for the whole state and if it becomes the steel city of Maharashtra, nothing is better than that. If Devendra Fadnavis is taking such initiatives, it needs to be appreciated. We have criticised PM Modi also, but when he does something good, we do appreciate him," Raut said.

According to ANI, Raut also said that people only thought about extorting money from the industrialists who aspired to start work in the Naxal-affected district.

However, the situation seems to be changing and it needs to be appreciated, Raut added.

(With PTI and ANI inputs)