MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Thursday claimed the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan has exposed the “breakdown” in law and order in Maharashtra, where he said celebrities, leaders of the ruling party, and citizens are unsafe.
The Congress leader demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, whom he termed “ineffective” and “weak,” resign as the home minister as the rising crime rate in the state reflects the government’s failure.
The chief minister should have the courage to take concrete action instead of making hollow statements, Patole said in a statement.
Khan, 54, was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by an intruder, who managed to flee, inside his 12th-floor apartment in upscale Bandra early Thursday.
The actor was “out of danger” following an emergency surgery, said doctors at the Lilavati Hospital where he was rushed following the incident that took place around 2.30 am at his house in ‘Satguru Sharan’ building.
Patole said the attack on the Padma Shri award-winning actor is a glaring example of the “breakdown” of law and order in Maharashtra.
“If such incidents occur in the bustling area of Bandra in Mumbai, who is safe in the city? Looking at the increasing crime rates in Mumbai, Pune, Beed, Parbhani, and Nagpur, one wonders if there is a home minister in the state at all,” Patole said.
The BJP-led Mahayuti government has allowed lawlessness to thrive, and the attack on Khan is a direct challenge to the state’s law and order machinery by criminals, he claimed.
The Congress leader said criminals have become brazen under the BJP regime. “The Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with their favoured Director General of Police, have proven to be utterly ineffective,” he said.
Despite having two police commissioners in Mumbai, neither the state nor Mumbai has an effective law and order machinery.
“The growing organised crime in Beed, political backing for criminals, custodial deaths in Parbhani, the assassination of former minister Baba Siddique in Bandra, and the firing at Salman Khan’s residence are serious incidents. Fadnavis has failed as the Home Minister. In Maharashtra, celebrities, leaders of the ruling party, and common citizens alike are unsafe,” he claimed.
Instead of repeating statements like “criminals won’t be spared; strict action will be taken”, the chief minister must muster the courage to take strong action, said Patole.
“With rising crime rates in the state, it is evident that Fadnavis is not taking the situation seriously. After the life-threatening attack on actor Saif Ali Khan, rather than addressing the issue, CM Fadnavis was busy promoting films,” claimed the Congress leader, referring to Fadnavis attending a special screening of Kangana Ranaut’s movie Emergency.
Maharashtra is unfortunate to have such an “inactive” and “weak” home minister, Patole said.
