Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also handles the Home ministry, was called to step down on Thursday by the president and MLA of the Maharashtra Congress for “shielding” those responsible for an alleged phone tapping case.
Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, which is hosting the state legislature’s winter session, Patole stated that if Assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar continues to act in a “biassed” manner, the opposition will consider presenting a no confidence move against him.
The Congressman questioned, “Why is the administration supporting the accused in the phone tapping case?
Patole claimed that during the 2016–17 period, while the state was governed by the Fadnavis–led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), journalists’, public officials’, and government officials’ phones were unlawfully tapped.
Rashmi Shukla, an IPS officer, was also the target of cases, he claimed.
During her time in the state, Shukla oversaw the Maharashtra State Intelligence Department in addition to acting as the police commissioner for Pune. Currently on central deputation, the IPS officer is Hyderabad’s assistant director general of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
“However, the current administration (the Bharatiya Janata Party dispensation of Eknath Shinde) is attempting to clear her even though an investigating commission also ruled her guilty. This episode took place when Fadnavis served as the Chief Minister and Home Minister, and he still serves in that capacity today “said Patole.
Notably, a court in Pune has ordered the local police to look into the alleged phone tapping case against Shukla more thoroughly after the police filed a report closing the investigation due to a lack of proof. In addition to calling for Fadnavis’ resignation, Patole charged that the Eknath Shinde-BJP administration was attempting to “hide” the phone tapping scandal.
The Congress MLA said that different names were used to tap the phones of government officials, journalists, and public representatives.
This is an assault on our liberties as individuals. Blackmailing was permitted while Fadnavis served as the Home Minister (in the BJP government). Rashmi Shukla was the subject of an investigation and had cases filed against her while she served as an IPS officer under the Maha Vikas Aghadi administration (November 2019 to June 2022).”
Shukla has also acknowledged that she was mistaken, but Patole said that steps were made to suppress the phone tapping case as soon as this government took power (in June 2022).
“The Pune police submitted a closure report to a court, but the judge noted that more investigation was required (in the phone tapping case). When phone tapping is a major felony, why is the government aiding these criminals? When Fadnavis served as the CM from 2014 to 2019, he began issuing clean chits in situations when substantial complaints were made, and he still does it today “said he.
Patole, a former Assembly Speaker, claimed that the opposition wanted to raise the matter of phone tapping in the assembly but that the chair refused to allow it.
“We demanded to discuss the phone tapping matter in the House today (Thursday), but the Speaker would not let us speak. The opposition is being silenced by the administration. Although it is the Speaker’s responsibility to defend the House members, our rights are not being upheld “said he.
According to Patole, the Speaker must conduct House procedures impartially and in accordance with the law.
“We thus abstained from the House proceedings. We will think about introducing a no-confidence resolution against the Speaker if he exhibits bias in future “He was cautious.
