Hitting back spiritedly at the Opposition for its criticism of him over the minor girl’s rape and murder at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanavis said on Wednesday that he was “efficient” in the post held by him and that the people were there to judge him as to how good he was holding the Home portfolio in the State.
Replying to a debate on the Kopardi incident in the State legislative Council during which former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Narayan Rane had slammed him for “inept” handling of the Kopardi incident, Fadnavis said, “You spoke about Maharashtra having Chief Ministers etc... let me tell you that I am the only Chief Minister of the State...You need not bother if I am efficient in my work or not... Your party may have three Chief Ministers, but I am the only one in my party”.
Responding to Rane’s assertion that he had failed to deliver as the Home Minister, Rane said, “You (Rane) also said that I do not know anything about Home Ministry. Yes it is true. I do not have the kind of experience you have in Home Ministry. I am new to the job. The crime statistics in the State will tell you as to how much of experience I have running the Home Ministry. My work will speak for itself.”
Debunking the Opposition’s allegation that the BJP was a party of goondas, Fadnavis said that crimes registered in connection with political movement could not be misconstrued as real crimes. He went onto retaliate reeling out the crimes registered in Rane’s home district of Sindhudurg. "...You talked about the BJP being a party of goondas. You can not misconstrue crimes registered in connection with a political activity as real crimes... What if I am reel out the statistics of crimes registered against who all in Sindhudurg, then you will know as to whose is the party of criminals”.
In response to criticism by other Opposition members, the CMsaid that the fact he did not visit Kopardi village did not mean that the State was “insensitive” to the shocking crime that took place in that village.
Police have already arrested three accused and are looking for the fourth accused.
Reacting to Rane’s allegation that one of the ministers in the BJP government had indulged in a sexual assault on a women officer, Fadnavis said: “I will not let any minister found in criminal act to continue in my ministry. But I will not react to mere allegations by the Opposition.”