Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has launched a sharp attack on newly appointed Nagpur Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangre Patil, questioning whether a serving Indian Police Service (IPS) officer should publicly praise the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The remarks have triggered a fresh political controversy, with the MNS chief alleging that civil servants must remain politically and ideologically neutral while discharging their duties.
The row erupted after a video of the 1997-batch IPS officer addressing a regional Hindu Sammelan surfaced on social media. During his speech, Vishwas Nangre Patil praised the RSS and its founder, Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, describing him as a visionary nationalist. While organisers maintained that the event was cultural and non-political, Raj Thackeray questioned that claim and alleged that the programme had clear ideological backing.
In a strongly worded statement shared on social media, the MNS chief said the loyalty of a police officer should remain only with the Constitution and the police force. Referring to Nangre Patil’s uniform, Raj Thackeray remarked, “We all fondly believed that the Khaki colour of Nangre Patil’s uniform represented the police department. It is only now we realise his Khaki mirrors the old uniform of the Sangh.”
He further said that if the IPS officer wished to publicly express admiration for the RSS, he should first resign from government service. “If you feel affection for the Sangh, keep it in your heart. If you want to speak about it publicly, resign from service and join the RSS or the BJP. After all, a rehabilitation guarantee scheme for disgruntled or favoured officers has been running for years—your rehabilitation will happen too,” Raj Thackeray said.
Taking his criticism a step further, the MNS chief questioned whether Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the state’s Home Department approve of serving police officers making public statements that could be viewed as politically or ideologically aligned. He argued that silence from the government would set a dangerous precedent for Maharashtra’s administrative system.
Raj Thackeray also recalled a 2012 incident during an MNS protest against the Raza Academy, when a police constable who publicly showed solidarity with protesters was placed on compulsory leave. He questioned whether the same standards would now be applied to a senior IPS officer or whether different rules existed depending on ideological affiliations.
Despite his criticism, Raj Thackeray acknowledged Vishwas Nangre Patil’s reputation as an efficient police officer. However, he appealed to him not to compromise institutional neutrality for political or ideological considerations. He warned that if senior police officers begin openly identifying with organisations or political ideologies, public confidence in the impartiality of law enforcement agencies could be seriously affected.
The controversy comes just days after the Maharashtra Congress also questioned Vishwas Nangre Patil’s remarks, alleging that the issue extends beyond one officer and reflects a broader concern over the neutrality of civil services. The party had demanded that the state government clarify whether it supports serving police officers publicly expressing ideological affiliations.
As the political debate intensifies, the incident has reignited a wider discussion on the role of civil servants, administrative neutrality and the constitutional expectation that public officials remain impartial while serving in office. No official response has yet been issued by Vishwas Nangre Patil regarding Raj Thackeray’s remarks.
