Sharad Pawar defends Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, Parambir Singh moves Supreme Court

Sharad Pawar in New Delhi on Monday. Pic/PTI, (right) former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh. File pic

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) boss Sharad Pawar fortified the defence of Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Monday, saying he need not resign because the allegations made by Mumbai's former police chief Param Bir Singh are unfounded, false and motivated. The IPS officer, on the other hand, moved the Supreme Court, seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the cancellation of his transfer.

Sharad Pawar in Delhi on Monday. Pic/PTI

On the same day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raked up the controversy in Parliament and demanded President's Rule in Maharashtra. Pawar said in New Delhi that Deshmukh could not have been available to meet arrested and suspended police officer Sachin Waze in February - as claimed by Singh - as was in the hospital and home isolation in Nagpur due to COVID. However, it was brought to Pawar's notice that Deshmukh addressed a media conference on February 15, in violation of COVID norms.

The BJP IT Cell's chief re-tweeted Deshmukh's February 15 tweet where he was seen talking to the media with a posse of security personal around him. Pawar said his information on Deshmukh's unavailability was based on hospital documents he was given. Deshmukh clarified that he had addressed the media before leaving the hospital for home.

"Anil Deshmukh was in the hospital from February 5 to 15 and from February 15 to 27, he was in home isolation in Nagpur. We will share these records with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The question of Deshmukh's resignation does not arise now," said Pawar. The NCP was expected to take a similar stand in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coordination committee's meeting later in the day.

However, Pawar reiterated that CM Uddhav Thackeray would decide on initiating an enquiry, if it is needed. "With the documents provided to me, I say the allegations are false," he said, adding that the MVA government would not get affected by any such controversy.

Ball in CM's court
A senior Congress leader said, "With Pawar fortifying the defence, the ball is in the CM's court. The MVA will try to resolve the matter in a way that does not give BJP political mileage. There are two options. Ask Deshmukh to quit or divest him of the Home Department in a cabinet reshuffle," he said.

Interestingly, Congress' Maharashtra in-charge HK Patil issued a statement from Delhi on Monday. "We will discuss the resignation as well. Whatever alternative comes, will see (sic). Even resignation is one alternative," the statement said.

President's Rule demand
Claiming that there is a deterioration of law and order and corruption, BJP MPs demanded a President's Rule. In the Rajya Sabha, they demanded the sacking of the Maharashtra government. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar tried to raise the issue but was not allowed. The House was then adjourned till 2 pm amid the chaos.

In the Lok Sabha, BJP's Mumbai Northeast MP Manoj Kotak spoke about the '100 crore extortion allegations. "If it is '100 crore in Mumbai alone, how much money came from other places in Maharashtra?" he said.

In the evening, Opposition leader in the state's Upper house, Praveen Darekar met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, apparently to seek his intervention. BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar had said earlier in the day that the Governor should send the Centre a report on the current state of affairs.

Sena's Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg MP, Vinayak Raut, countered the BJP, saying the BJP was trying to destabilise the government. He quoted from a letter a police inspector has written against Singh. Sena MPs walked out claiming that they were denied adequate time to respond.

NCP's Supriya Sule said, "The Zero Hour was rigged. The eight BJP MPs were allowed to speak even though they were not listed. It's a black day for the House and it shouldn't set a precedent."

Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut warned the BJP against trying to impose the President's Rule. "If someone is attempting to impose President's Rule in Maharashtra by misusing central agencies, then I am warning them - you yourself will get burnt in that fire," he said.