Congress leader gets online threats, CM Fadnavis assures action

Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured the state Legislative Assembly that action would be taken against those who were found issuing threats on social media, including  Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers.

Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan raised the issue of threats being issued to Congress leader and spokesperson Sachin Sawant in the state Legislative Assembly.

Both leaders claimed that Mr Sawant has been receiving threat calls since 2015 and he complained several times about it to police officials. However, no action has been taken.

Responding to the Congress leaders, Mr Fadnavis promised strict action against those threatning anyone, including Mr Sawant.

“I assure the House that strict action will be taken. It is being observed that there are increasing instances of making life threatening comments and using foul language while trolling. Whoever has indulged in this, strict action will be taken against them even if they are from our own party,” Mr Fadnavis said.

The Congress leaders, Mr Wadettiwar, Mr Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat and Naseem Khan, along with others also had called on Mr Fadnavis and submitted a memorandum demanding action against those threatening Mr Sawant on phone calls and social media.

Mr Sawant claimed of receiving threatening calls after he filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau accusing Women and Child Development Minister Pankaja Munde of clearing purchases worth Rs 206 crore without inviting tenders in 2015.

The Congress spokesperson claimed that while some threatened to kill him, others wanted him to apologise to Ms Munde.

The irregularity Mr Sawant had flagged related to the purchase of chikki, mats and books for Rs 206 crore without floating tenders.

However, as per the government rules, any purchase above Rs 3 lakh undertaken by the government has to be done through e-tendering process only.