After Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tendered apology for the inconvenience to public during his visit to a private club on Sunday evening, Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria on Monday evening ordered an enquiry into the scenes witnesses outside the NSCI club, where the police personnel jostled with the members and prevented their entry inside the club during the CM's visit.
Maria directed RD Shinde, Additional Commissioner Police (Central) to conduct an enquiry into the incident, after taking serious cognisance of the video footage that showed the traffic police personnel stationed at the NSCI club stopping private vehicles to make way for the Chief Minister’s convoy and grappling with some of the club members, including an elderly person, on Sunday night. He asked Shinde to submit his enquiry report at the earliest.
Confirming that the city police had ordered an inquiry into the incident, Additional CP Shinde said, “I am looking into the episode to ascertain as to what exactly happened”.
Apart from examining the footage of the incident shown on various television channels, Shinde would also question the traffic police personnel posted near the NSCI club at the time of incident to ascertain if they had indulged in any highhanded behaviour.
Fadnavis, who enjoys Z plus security, had earlier apologised for the inconvenience caused to members of public during his visit to the NSCI club on Sunday evening.
“My sincere apologies to those who were stopped by the police unnecessarily. People in the state have always seen me stopping at traffic signals,” Fadnavis tweeted.
“I would make enquiry into the NSCI incident...unless there is an emergency or real threat perception inputs, police shouldn’t trouble people…. “I don’t believe in VIP culture,” the CM wrote.
However, the Opposition Congress and NCP came down heavily on the CM, saying that mere apology would not do and demanding that the action be initiated against the State DGP for the incident.
Talking to mediapersons, leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said: “I am surprised why the CM is protecting the DGP. He should be removed from his post as he has failed to sensitise his department and the situation is deteriorating day-by-day”. PNS
“Yesterday’s incident was unfortunate. It is not only the CM, but the (Home) department which has to pull up its socks and reorganise itself. The system needs a complete overhaul and a transparent mechanism needs to be put in place to avoid unnecessary harassment of common people,” Patil said, as he advised the chief minister to ensure that VVIP movements did not cause commotion.
Maharashtra NCP President Sunil Tatkare said: “Given that the CM has apologised, it shows that he has realised his mistake and that what has happened is wrong. But a simple apology will not suffice. He needs to put a mechanism in place to make sure this does not happen again”.