The state government has ordered an inquiry against Rohit Pawar, MLA of NCP Sharad Pawar group, for allegedly making a phone call to the Baramati police and directing them to release a person accused of circulating a video clip threatening Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a religious community.
Issue raised in Legislative Assembly
Raising point of information in the Legislative assembly on Wednesday, Ghatkopar MLA of BJP Ram Kadam said, “A complaint has been made at Santacruz police station regarding a viral video clip where a person is threatening Devendra Fadnavis and claiming to finish off a community. The person responsible is Yogesh Sawant, who has relations in Baramati. Rohit Pawar called the senior police officer to release Sawant,” alleged Kadam.
The person was calling himself a Maratha, Kadam said, adding, “I also belong to the Maratha community but that person is defaming another community. Fadnavis is like god for me and we will not tolerate such videos,” Kadam said.
Shelar's claims
BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said that Sawant himself admitted to being an NCP (Sharad Pawar) member. “Rohit Pawar himself called a senior police officer. Why did he do that? What was the purpose behind it? We were cooperating with Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, but we came to know that politics was being done under the garb of agitation. The Baramati connection should be probed,” he said.
Pro-tem Speaker Deepak Chavan directed the state government to conduct an inquiry in this regard and take necessary action. Thereafter, excise minister Shambhuraj Desai, who was responsible to answer in the absence of the CM and deputy CM, assured the Assembly that an inquiry will be conducted from all angles.
Speaking with the media outside the assembly, Rohit Pawar said, “Of course, he (Yogesh Sawant) is our party worker. What did he do? He shared a video clip. There is no action on the one who speaks in the video or the YouTube channel, but the person who is sharing it is arrested. This is nothing but the use of force against opposition workers.”
