Mah CM, Dy CM hatched conspiracy to arrest Nandlal: Munde

Mumbai, Mar 31 (UNI) Alleging that Maharashtra Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister jointly hatched a conspiracy to punish the seniormost IAS officer and state Election Commissioner Nandlal, senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde today said his punishment can be lessened by reprimanding him for not appearing before the privilage committee.

Participating in a discussion on the supplementary demands of the Home department, Mr Munde, who had held the portfolio earlier, was very severe while speaking on the issue.

''Nandlal is the backward class officer and both Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh and Mr R R Patil were not getting along with him. Mr Deshmukh was unhappy on the issue of reserving Latur Lok Sabha constituency, while Mr Patil was angry with him during the zilla parishad elections,'' he alleged.

''I wonder about the efficiency of the police department who took prompt action of arresting a bureaucrat within 15 minutes after the House passed the resolution,'' Mr Munde added.

At this stage, Mr Deshmukh tried to intervene, saying that Mr Munde did not raise the issue when the resolution was passed. He also reminded that it was he who proposed to reduce the seven-day imprisonment to two days.

Mr Munde said he himself and Ganpatrao Deshmukh (PWP) wanted to speak on the issue but were not allowed.

''Entire police force is politicised and even DGP A N Roy is appointed, ignoring the claims of two other senior IPS officers as he is close to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar,'' former home minister alleged.

He also raised the issue why Dr P S Pasricha and D N Jadhav were given the extensions.

''All these incidents are damaging the credibility of the police posse, which was once considered as number two next to Scotland Yard,'' he said.

Mr Munde also said the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) is eclipsed by 'GVK' to whom Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has sold the airport.

''We see big boards of GVK and not CSIA,'' he remarked.

His speech was interrupted by the treasury benches to which the opposition also countered with the slogans.

At this stage, the House was adjourned for 10 minutes and later for 20 minutes.

Finally, amidst pandemonium, Prof Janardan Chandurkar, who was sitting in the Speaker's chair, passed the budgetary demands.

Later, the BJP leader told reporters that as long as the billboards of GVK will not be revmoved, he will not allow the functioning of the house to continue.

''The treasury bench members use unparliamentary language against the opposition,'' he alleged and cited an instance, where they (the treasury bench members) had stated that Mr Munde did not have any right to take the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

UNI JM SSS PDT VC1957