Dutt the leveller: BJP, Sena want minister out
The Maharashtra police's decision to take action against those cops has put Vilasrao Deshmukh and the Congress in an embarrassing situation.
By TNN |
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra police’s decision to take action against those cops who shook hands with Sanjay Dutt when the star was released on bail from the Yerawada jail has put Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and the Congress in an embarrassing situation.
While it is believed that it was deputy chief minister RR Patil who ordered the suspension of police constable R Kalekar and a probe into the conduct of eight other police personnel, Mr Deshmukh has denied it.
“Neither of us gave the order. The order came from IG prisons, who was asked to probe the incident and check if the constable’s behaviour was in line with the police manual as well as the Maharashtra civil services rules,” Mr Deshmukh told reporters at Aurangabad on Tuesday.
Though Mr Deshmukh has expressed surprise over the summary manner in which the constable was suspended, the development has prompted questions about the public display of bonhomie between Mr Dutt and Baba Siddiqui, the minister of state for civic supplies. “Mr Siddiqui is not only a legislator, but also a minister. It’s unbecoming of him to be seen in such close proximity with someone who has been held guilty of a serious crime,” a home ministry official said.
Mr Siddiqui’s action has also provided ammunition to the Opposition. The BJP and the Shiv Sena, not on friendly terms otherwise, have come together to demand the dismissal of Mr Siddiqui from the ministry. The Opposition argues that while the police constable has been suspended for a harmless hand-shake, Mr Siddiqui continues to be a minister despite a very public and consistent display of friendship with the convicted actor.
Political sources including state Congress leaders, however, are sceptical about the possibility of any disciplinary action being taken against the minister. “It’s a very tricky issue. The chief minister is not in a position even to scold Mr Siddiqui since so many Congress leaders or functionaries have been sympathetic to Mr Dutt,” said a state Congress functionary.
The suspension of the police constable and probe into the conduct of others has raised several eyebrows in the Mantralaya. In particular, the police officialdom is said to be very unhappy over the arbitrary manner in which the action was taken. “The constable was not even heard. It was a natural human reaction on his part to have reciprocated a gesture by the film-star. It certainly did not deserve a suspension order,” said a home ministry official.
While it is believed that it was deputy chief minister RR Patil who ordered the suspension of police constable R Kalekar and a probe into the conduct of eight other police personnel, Mr Deshmukh has denied it.
“Neither of us gave the order. The order came from IG prisons, who was asked to probe the incident and check if the constable’s behaviour was in line with the police manual as well as the Maharashtra civil services rules,” Mr Deshmukh told reporters at Aurangabad on Tuesday.
Though Mr Deshmukh has expressed surprise over the summary manner in which the constable was suspended, the development has prompted questions about the public display of bonhomie between Mr Dutt and Baba Siddiqui, the minister of state for civic supplies. “Mr Siddiqui is not only a legislator, but also a minister. It’s unbecoming of him to be seen in such close proximity with someone who has been held guilty of a serious crime,” a home ministry official said.
Mr Siddiqui’s action has also provided ammunition to the Opposition. The BJP and the Shiv Sena, not on friendly terms otherwise, have come together to demand the dismissal of Mr Siddiqui from the ministry. The Opposition argues that while the police constable has been suspended for a harmless hand-shake, Mr Siddiqui continues to be a minister despite a very public and consistent display of friendship with the convicted actor.
Political sources including state Congress leaders, however, are sceptical about the possibility of any disciplinary action being taken against the minister. “It’s a very tricky issue. The chief minister is not in a position even to scold Mr Siddiqui since so many Congress leaders or functionaries have been sympathetic to Mr Dutt,” said a state Congress functionary.
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The suspension of the police constable and probe into the conduct of others has raised several eyebrows in the Mantralaya. In particular, the police officialdom is said to be very unhappy over the arbitrary manner in which the action was taken. “The constable was not even heard. It was a natural human reaction on his part to have reciprocated a gesture by the film-star. It certainly did not deserve a suspension order,” said a home ministry official.
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