Sapkal blames CM Fadnavis for scuffle in Vidhan Bhavan; says he must resign as penance

Time of India

2 days ago

Maharashtra Congress
chief Harshawardhan
Sapkal
on Saturday held Chief Minister
Devendra Fadnavis
responsible for the scuffle between the supporters of two MLAs on the state legislature complex premises, and demanded his resignation as a form of penance.
Addressing a press conference here, he also questioned the BJP-led government over the passage of the special
Public Security Bill
, seeking to know whether the law would apply to Bajrang Dal and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as well.
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Supporters of
NCP
(SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad and
BJP
legislator Gopichand Padalkar clashed in the
Vidhan Bhavan
, the legislature complex in south Mumbai, on Thursday evening when the House was in session.
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Shocking videos of the two groups pummelling each other and having to be dragged back by
security
personnel went viral on social media, causing an embarrassment to the government.
CM Fadnavis also expressed displeasure over the incident, saying the image of everyone in the legislature has been maligned due to what happened in Vidhan Bhavan.
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Speaking about the issue, Sapkal said, "CM Fadnavis is responsible for the scuffle in the Vidhan Bhavan premises. He must resign from the post as a form of penance." Accusing the BJP of nurturing "goons and hooligans" to target opposition members, he said the same culture has now entered the sacred premises of the legislature.
"What the public witnessed during the monsoon session was not democracy in action, but a disgraceful spectacle. People send their representatives to the legislature to address issues like farmers' distress, unemployment, women's safety and crop insurance. Yet, none of these were meaningfully discussed. Instead, the session was marred by an unprecedented brawl inside the Vidhan Bhavan," he said.
Sapkal likened the incident to a WWE match and blamed Fadnavis for bringing such a "violent culture" into democratic institutions.
Referring to past incidents, he cited the example of a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA)-accused person being supported by BJP leaders in Akkalkot, and an MLA from the ruling party involved in a violent altercation at the MLA hostel canteen.
"The BJP is reaping what it has sown. The very culture of goondaism it promoted is now turning against it. The people of Maharashtra are outraged, but those in power are immune, sitting atop the sanctum of power," Sapkal said.
He accused the BJP of dragging Maharashtra's democracy to new lows, asserting that the party neither respects the Constitution nor the state's traditions.
Last week, both houses of the state legislature passed the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, which seeks to prevent unlawful activities of Left-wing extremist organisations with focus on 'urban Naxalism'.
The bill, which has stringent provisions, including hefty fines and jail term up to seven years for those found guilty, has sparked criticism from civil society groups and opposition parties, who view it as a tool to suppress dissent under the pretext of national security.
Speaking about it, Sapkal reiterated the Congress' opposition to it and questioned whether the law would apply to organisations like Bajrang Dal and the RSS.
"Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has remained silent on this crucial question. But Congress will continue to oppose the bill both inside and outside the legislature," he said.
The Congress leader claimed that the trail of
honeytrap allegations
leads to the Rs 20,000 crore corruption in the Samruddhi Expressway.
"Despite denials from the CM, it is evident that something serious has occurred. The government is trying to bury the matter to shield corruption. Fadnavis' statements are outright lies," Sapkal alleged.
Congress MLA Nana Patole on Thursday demanded that the
Maharashtra government
make a formal statement in the assembly on an alleged "honeytrap" racket targeting state officials in Thane, Nashik and Mantralaya (secretariat) in Mumbai.
Speaking in the assembly, Patole claimed he had all the "proof" related to the allegations in a pen drive which is in his possession.