Shiv Sena mouthpiece flays CM Devendra Fadavanis on Govind Pansare's murder

MUMBAI: Saamna has slammed chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for the state police's failure to close in on the assassins of Govind Pansare, the Communist ideologue who succumbed to bullet injuries on Friday following an attack on him and his wife Uma in Kolhapur last week.

In a scathing editorial on Monday, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece took exception to Fadnavis' reported remark that Pansare's killers can be nabbed if the state police force puts its best foot forward.

That there is hardly any difference between the erstwhile Congress-NCP government and the present BJP-led regime is the tone and tenor of the Saamna editorial. "It's the same script. Same are the lines. Only the hero and the villain have changed," remarked Saamna. Will someone tell us what new is happening in Maharashtra, was Saamna's parting shot. The editorial is seen as the Sena's strongest onslaught on Fadnavis since it joined the BJP-led government last October. A section of the media has quoted Sena MP Sanjay Raut as having said that he endorsed Congress-NCP demand that Fadnavis should relinquish his home portfolio and appoint a full-fledged minister for the key department, given the state's fragile law-and-order situation.

Left-secular forces have accused BJP of looking the other way even as radical Hindutva groups go berserk in the name of religion. Congress-NCP is keen on closing in on the government on the Pansare issue during the budget session, which is to begin in Mumbai on March 9.

By targeting Fadnavis, Matoshree may well distance itself from Pansare's murder on the floor of the state legislature, said political analysts.

Saamna said, "The CM has shown lack of faith in the police administration when he himself is in charge of the home department. The CM hasn't clarified as to how and in which way should the police force put its best foot forward (in the Pansare murder case)."

In yet another blow to the CM, Saamna said, "A new team of the chief minister and his ministerial colleagues has taken charge of the state. However, the administration remains unchanged." Saamna further said, "When you have power, you shouldn't blame the system... System is like a galloping horse. You have to hold the reign tight and tame the horse."

Urging Fadnavis to initiate measures to modernize the police force, Saamna remarked, "There is no point blaming the police. They should be armed with latest equipment, and CCTV camers should be put in place."

Saamna's verbal rocket to Fadnavis has ruffled the feathers of the Maharashtra BJP. Stating that Matoshree has exhibited greater interest in riling Fadnavis than targeting Pansare's killers, a senior state BJP functionary said, "There has not been a single line from Matoshree condemning Pansare's killing or extolling his qualities as leftist leader of considerable repute."

A section in the BJP is of the view that the editorial marks a watershed in BJP-Sena ties. "It appears that Sena doesn't want to live peacefully with us as allies. It recently began a quarrel with (senior minister) Eknathji Khadse on delegating more executive powers to ministers of state... Now, Saamna has directly targeted the chief minister. This doesn't augur well for the present government," said a state BJP veteran.