Mumbai, Sept 5: A day after a video showed him rebuking a woman IPS officer and asking her to stop action against illegal soil excavation, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said he did not want to interfere but was trying to de-escalate a tense situation.
In the viral video which surfaced on Thursday, Pawar was heard admonishing Anjana Krishna, sub-divisional police officer, Karmala, over phone, which drew criticism from the Opposition.
The Solapur police, meanwhile, registered an offence in connection with the August 31 incident against several persons for allegedly obstructing the IPS officer in the discharge of her duty.
“Let me state clearly that my intention was not to interfere with law enforcement but to ensure that the situation on the ground remained calm and did not escalate further,” Ajit Pawar said in a statement on Friday.
He values the rule of law and has the highest respect for the police force and its officers, including women officers who serve with distinction and courage, the deputy CM said.
“I remain firmly committed to transparent governance and ensuring that every illegal activity, including sand mining, is dealt with strictly as per the law,” Pawar further said.
The video, aired by Marathi news channels, showed Krishna talking to Pawar on a local NCP worker’s phone. She did not recognise his voice at first.
Pawar then made a video call to the police officer, and purportedly asked her in a stern tone to stop action against the illegal excavation of `murrum’ soil.
The incident had taken place on August 31 when revenue department officials along with Krishna reached Kapre Wasti in Solapur district to take action against illegal excavation.
Murum soil is used in road construction.
After the video went viral, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut accused Pawar of protecting “thieves”.
“Illegal excavation of ‘murrum’ soil means causing loss to the exchequer. As this has come out in public, Ajit Pawar has no right to be in the government. Earlier, many (leaders) had to resign on moral grounds because of such instances,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.
BJP leader and revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule defended his cabinet colleague, saying that sometimes the “person on the other side” does not know the exact matter during such phone calls. “This has happened with me many times as well,” he said.
“Officers say something is illegal, while party workers insist it is legal. That is how such controversies arise. I do not think Ajit Pawar would ever scold any officer to push for something unauthorised. I feel he only made that call to ensure justice to a party worker, and he may not have known that it was about illegal excavation,” Bawankule said.
NCP leader Amol Mitkari, however, targeted Krishna, a 2023-batch IPS officer, over the way she is seen speaking to Pawar in the video.
Mitkari, a Member of the Legislative Council, alleged that she shot the video and asked her associates to make it viral.
“The Constitution tells us that men and women are equal. Why should women be supported if they are in the wrong? Women officers should also speak about responsibility,” he said in a video statement.
“If she says she does not recognise the state’s deputy chief minister, her recruitment process must be scrutinised. I have written to the UPSC seeking a probe,” Mitkari said.
Responding to his statement, NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule said members of the ruling dispensation attacking the credentials of the IPS officer was a grave assault on the Constitution.
“We expect that appropriate action will be taken to preserve the dignity of public office and independence of the civil services,” Sule said on X.
Clyde Crasto, NCP (SP) spokesperson, accused Mitkari of trying to intimidate the IPS officer, and said the state needs more honest officers like her.
Interestingly, Ajit Pawar found support from unexpected quarters as his nephew Rohit Pawar, an MLA of the rival NCP (SP), said it was a trap set for him by his allies who sought to put a different spin on the conversation.
“Ajit dada (as the deputy CM is called by his supporters) should take note of how a trap is being set by his friends,” Rohit said on X.
The Nationalist Congress Party headed by Ajit Pawar is an ally of the BJP and Shiv Sena.
Ajit Pawar is someone who calls a spade a spade, Rohit Pawar noted, adding that the woman IPS officer too was not at fault in any way. (PTI)
