Digvijay's Naxal link' allegations rile Congress

Mumbai: The police’s claim of having found Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh’s number in alleged Naxals’ documents while carrying out raids has created a controversy in Maharashtra.

The state Congress has called it a malicious attempt to defame its senior leader ahead of his home state Madhya Pradesh’s Assembly elections. “The Madhya Pradesh elections are going to take place. Digvijayji has been leading the Congress’ campaign in the state. So just to defame him, the Pune police is unnecessarily dragging his name into the controversy,” said Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

Mr Sawant slammed the Pune police for addressing the media despite strict comments by the Supreme Court restricting it from doing so. “What is happening is nothing but a shameful attempt to help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at election time. Why are Pune police officers talking to the media? The Supreme Court has strongly criticised this habit of reaching out to the media in the Bhima-Koregaon riots case. But they are still doing it,” said Mr Sawant.

The leader said the perpetrators of the Bhima-Koregaon riots have the direct support of this government. “They are being saved. So, to divert the people’s attention from real issues, this defamation is being spread,” said Mr Sawant.

A BJP MLA on Monday demanded a probe into a letter seized by the Pune police, which refers to a mobile number purportedly belonging to senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh.

Kandivali (east) MLA Atul Bhatkalkar said he met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and demanded a detailed inquiry into the issue. Mr Bhatkalkar said he had asked the chief minister to ensure the inquiry is completed before the end of the Winter Session of the state legislature on November 30.

A Pune police official, earlier in the day, had also clarified that the number in the seized letter is available on the website of the Indian National Congress as well.

Mr Singh had denied the allegations when they first surfaced and had dared the government to arrest him. Talking to reporters in Satna in Madhya Pradesh on September 4, Mr Singh had said, “If I am guilty, I challenge the Centre and the state government to arrest me.”

Mr Singh said “thousands of people know that mobile number” which was in the “public domain” through the Rajya Sabha portal, adding he had stopped using it four years ago. “If Digvijay Singh is involved in any anti-national activity, then Modiji, Rajnathji and Fadnavisji are free to take action. Show the courage to take action,” Mr Singh said.