Opposition stages walk out in Council

Mumbai, Mar 28 (UNI) Opposition members today staged a walk out from the Legislative Council to condemn ''Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil's reported visit to the residence of a rape accused in Buldhana and he had tea with him''.

Mr Patil, however, later clarified that the person whose residence he had visited in Buldhana was not a rape accused but a Nationalist Congress Party activist, Sanjay Gaikwad, who was involved in a scuffle with those who had gone to question the rape accused.

The issue came up during Minister of State for Home Siddhram Mhetre's statement on the rape of two minor girls at Buldhana.

The Opposition members asked whether Mr Patil had visited Sanjay Gaikwad's residence to which Mr Mhetre answered in the affirmative.

This angered the Opposition members who staged a walk out while raising slogans.

Mr Patil later informed the House that Sanjay Gaikwad was earlier with the Shiv Sena, later joined the BJP and then the Chhava organisation before joining NCP. He said 27 crimes were registered against Gaikwad but since the last one year, no crime had been registered against him.

Mr Patil said he had visited Gaikwad's residence but did not have tea there.

UNI JM MAZ MSJ DB2014