Mumbai: Demanding strict action against extreme Hindutva organisations, Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader, Mr Prakash Ambedkar on Wednesday brought to notice an inflammatory Facebook post by one Raosaheb Patil, seeking to provoke the murder of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, cabinet minister Girish Bapat and columnist Sudheendra Kulkarni.
Mr Ambedkar also pointed to another post from the same account, dated for December 31 last year, which hints at the impending Bhima Koregaon attack. Mr Ambedkar claimed that the CM’s intelligence machinery did not even inform him about the post and demanded action against them too.
The post which is dated for January 1, said, “ If the numbers are less for Bhima Koregaon, then you can kill Girish Bapat, Devendra Fadnavis and Sudheendra Kulkarni. I will have no objection because these people are rotting the country and Maharashtra.” An earlier post from the same account, dated December 31, mentions Bhima Koregaon and hints at something, which is about to happen in slang.
Questioning the comment, Mr Ambedkar said it was a serious matter as the CM’s name was involved. “Despite having differences, political parties do not want to destroy each other. But these independent right wing organisations are dangerous. They are threatening to kill Mr Fadnavis and a minister. Political parties including the RSS, will have to take action against these unscrutinised saffron parties.”
The Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader also reminded the government that it had taken action against a few youngsters for posting a negative image of the government on social media. “This post is even more dangerous as the person is provoking to kill. I have information that the police commissioner of Pune, the SP Pune and the intelligence officers did not even inform the Chief Minister about the threat. The government should also take action against them,” he said.
Mr Ambedkar even pointed out that Raosaheb Patil’s Facebook profile features photographs of late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and Sambhaji Bhide, against whom an FIR has been registered in connection with the Bhima Koregaon attack. He is planning to meet the Mr Fadnavis to complaint about the account.
Speaking on the investigation into the Bhima Koregaon incident, Mr Ambedkar said the police were conducting combing operations across the state and arresting innocents. “So far, 3000 people have been arrested or detained from Maharashtra after the bandh and slapped with attempt to murder charges. There 125 from Mumbai alone. Despite requests to the government, the combing operations are still on at Aurangabad, Kalyan, Govandi, Nanded, Nilanga, Bhiwandi, Latur, Powai, Chembur and Kolhapur.”
He said that the five villages where the attack took place on January 1 have been converted into police camps. Outsiders are not allowed to go there and talk to the villagers, he added.
