A spark of tension could be said to be visible between the allies of newly formed Maha Vikas Aghadi government as the Nationalist Congress Party, an ally of the coalition, chief Sharad Pawar on Friday hits out at the Maharashtra government over its alleged joint decision with the centre to transfer the Bhima-Koregaon case to the National Investigating Agency (NIA).
Pawar termed the decision as “unconstitutional” as he said that it violates the state’s jurisdiction over law and order issues.
“The behaviour of some in the Maharashtra Police (involved in Bhima-Koregaon investigation) was objectionable. I wanted the role of these officers to be investigated. But ministers in the Maharashtra government met police officers one morning, and the centre ordered its transfer to the NIA at 3 pm the same day,” news agency ANI quoted him as telling reporters.
“This is wrong as per the constitution because criminal investigations come within the state’s jurisdiction. It was wrong of the centre to take the investigation out of the state’s hands, and it was wrong of the Maharashtra government to support the decision,” NCP chief added.
The case related to the alleged inflammatory speeches delivered at a conclave a night before the violence broke out near the Bhima-Koregaon war memorial over two years ago.
Centre had transferred the case to NIA on January 25, a move which came days after the state government had hinted that it might take a relook into the events that take place at the conclave.
The violence occurred on January 1, 2018 that took the life of a man and several others were injured during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle.
Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government had arrested several human rights activists in the case of violence on charges of being linked to Maoists.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh told news agency PTI agency that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had overruled him in the matter.