Maharashtra Cong delegation meets Guv, seeks action on leaders threatening Rahul

PTI, Sep 21, 2024, 5:24 PM IST

A Maharashtra Congress delegation met Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Saturday over the “poor” law and order situation in the state and sought the arrest of ruling alliance leaders who issued threats to Rahul Gandhi.

The delegation included state unit chief Nana Patole, leader of opposition in the assembly Vijay Wadettiwar, Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and Mumbai Congress head Varsha Gaikwad.

In the memorandum submitted to Radhakrishnan, the party said Gandhi’s life was in danger due to these threats but no action was being taken against MLA Sanjay Gaikwad and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde.

Accusing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of being a mute spectator on the issue, the Congress leaders sought immediate arrest of Bonde and Gaikwad.

The memorandum also said the state must give immediate relief to farmers as crops on an area of more than 6 lakh hectares had been damaged due to heavy rains.

While Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan toured Andhra Pradesh and Telangana after rains there, no help has come Maharashtra’s way, the Congress leaders claimed.

The memorandum cited the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Malvan and the sexual assault on two minor girls in a school in Badlapur and said the governor must give necessary directives to the Shinde government.

The party informed that Radhakrishnan told its leaders he would ask the home department to ensure strict action against those who issued threats to Gandhi.

Bonde, a Rajya Sabha member, and Gaikwad, who represents the Buldhana assembly constituency, kicked up a row with their remarks against Gandhi earlier this week.

While Gaikwad announced Rs 11 lakh reward for anyone who chops off Gandhi’s tongue for his remarks over reservation, Bonde said the Congress leader’s tongue should be singed.

During his recent visit to the USA, Gandhi told students at Georgetown University that the Congress would think of scrapping reservation when “India is a fair place”, which he said is not the case right now.