Maha HM Dilip Walse-Patil rebukes Kirit Somaiya’s visit to police station, backs Mumbai police

Dilip Walse-Patil argues ‘BJP has been trying to topple MVA ever since its formation in 2019’.  

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Mumbai: Firmly backing the actions of the Mumbai police, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil on Sunday chastised Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dr Kirit Somaiya retorting that he (Somaiya) had no business to visit arrested husband-wife duo of Independent MLA Ravi Rana and Independent Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana at Mumbai’s Khar police station knowing fully well that his visit would stoke further discontent.  

Slamming the BJP at the Centre and the State, Walse-Patil further alleged that ever since the ruling Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had come to power in Maharashtra, the BJP had been persistently attempting to topple it. 

Speaking to newspersons in Mumbai, Walse-Patil was responding to Somaiya’s allegations that the alleged assault by Shiv Sainiks was “sponsored by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in conjunction with the Mumbai police. 

“There was no need for Dr Kirit Somaiya to go to the (Khar) police station (where the Rana husband-wife were in detention). Because when a person is in custody, only lawyers and relatives have permission to meet that person. As per law, others don’t have permission. So, he should not have gone there to add fuel to fire,” he said, while conceding that whatever happened (assault on Somaiya) was not good. 

Backing the Mumbai police’s actions to the hilt against Badnera Independent MLA Ravi Rana and Amravati Independent Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana, who were arrested after they had threatened to recite the Hanuman Chalisa in front of Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’, Walse-Patil alleged that a bigger hand was behind the couple’s actions. 

Dilip Walse-Patil who is also a senior NCP leader, remarked “They (Navneet and Ravi Rana) cannot have this kind of daring unless someone is behind their actions…There is a deliberate attempt to create instability in the State, but I am fully confident that the police will be able to keep the situation under control. Based on the information they had, police took the requisite steps (in arresting the Ranas). There was nothing wrong with their actions.” 

The Home Minister, who, along with other MVA leaders, has accused the BJP of trying to create a situation in order to impose President’s rule in Maharashtra, said that it had been the BJP’s constant effort since the MVA assumed power to ensure that the tripartite government did not remain in place under any circumstances. 

“These actions (provocations of Ravi and Navneet Rana and incident involving Dr Kirit Somaiya) are part of that scheme,” added Walse-Patil. 

While remarking that police would take action against miscreants involved in Somaiya’s alleged attack, the Home Minister nonetheless questioned the BJP-ruled Centre’s rationale for providing ‘Z security’ cover to Dr Somaiya. 

In a sarcastic jibe at the BJP over Dr Kirit Somaiya’s assault, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut – Somaiya’s arch rival – claimed that the reason for the assault was that the INS Vikrant scam (in which Raut had named Somaiya and his son) had “disturbed people” who were venting their spleen on the BJP leader.  

“Money was collected from people in the name of Save INS Vikrant. The people and the nation were misled. So, the BJP should not be pained if people take to the streets to express their anger against such a person and throw a few stones…especially, since the BJP has always had this same stance on how to deal with criminals,” said Raut, adding that the public would not forgive “traitors and criminals.” 

Mocking Somaiya’s ‘Z plus’, Raut said that the provision of security cover by the BJP-led Central government was itself a scam.  

“Anyone who speaks against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, or Uddhav Thackeray is given ‘Y plus’ or ‘Z plus’ security covers. This has become a joke now,” Raut said, adding that if Somaiya “spoke too much”, he would gag him. 

Meanwhile, speaking to newspersons at the Mumbai BJP office on Sunday, Dr Somaiya charged the Uddhav Thackeray government and Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey of being ‘in cahoots’ regarding the assault by nearly 80 Shiv Sainiks. 

Dr Somaiya further remarked, “Despite the fact that the police had cleared my visit to the Khar police station, 70-80 Sainiks were already lying-in wait to assault me. Mumbai CP Sanjay Pandey is fully responsible for this. The FIR, which was registered in my name, is bogus as it claims that the Shiv Sainiks were standing three km away and only a couple of stones were hurled from afar…what is more, the Deputy Commissioner of Police is threatening me that if I did not sign it, the investigation would be conducted based on the FIR.” 

Stating that he had already spoken with cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, who in turn had intimated Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Somaiya said that a BJP delegation would go to Delhi on Monday to meet with Bhalla over the assault.