<p>Defending his Cabinet colleague Girish Mahajan who is being criticised for attending a children's event with a revolver tucked in his waist, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he has not broken any law.<br /><br />Mahajan also later clarified that he carries the weapon for self-defence and that he has not been involved in any kind of violence.</p>.<p>The issue of water resources minister Mahajan carrying a revolver, which was very much visible, at an event on Saturday for deaf and mute children in Jalgaon city was raised in both the Houses of state Legislature here today.<br /><br />In the Assembly, the Opposition Congress and NCP demanded sacking of the minister for attending a function of differently-abled children with a revolver tucked in his waist as it sent a wrong message in the society. The Opposition members boycotted the Question Hour in protest.<br /><br />Fadnavis said the Opposition was trying to create an unnecessary controversy. "Mahajan has a licence to carry weapon for last two decades. Licence holder is expected to carry the weapon and not keep it at home," he said.<br /><br />However, he agreed that the weapon was visible while the minister attended a function and necessary directives would be given to him in this regard.<br /><br />When the matter was raised in the Council, Fadnavis said, "Girish Mahajan has a licence for keeping a weapon. He is carrying it with him from the last 25 years. A licence is given only when a person needs to keep a revolver for his safety. He has not broken any law by carrying a revolver."<br /><br />The Chief Minister was replying to Sunil Tatkare (NCP), who took a jibe at Mahajan and questioned the need to carry a revolver at the children's event.<br /><br />"His revolver was tucked in his waist and a controversy was created out of it by news channels when a portion of the pistol became visible inadvertently," Fadnavis said.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Mahajan later said that his revolver is merely for self-defence and that he has not been involved in any kind of violence before.<br /><br />"I admit that the revolver was visible. But never have I pointed a revolver, or gotten involved in violence of any kind in my life. The revolver is merely for self-defence," the minister told reporters here. </p>
<p>Defending his Cabinet colleague Girish Mahajan who is being criticised for attending a children's event with a revolver tucked in his waist, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he has not broken any law.<br /><br />Mahajan also later clarified that he carries the weapon for self-defence and that he has not been involved in any kind of violence.</p>.<p>The issue of water resources minister Mahajan carrying a revolver, which was very much visible, at an event on Saturday for deaf and mute children in Jalgaon city was raised in both the Houses of state Legislature here today.<br /><br />In the Assembly, the Opposition Congress and NCP demanded sacking of the minister for attending a function of differently-abled children with a revolver tucked in his waist as it sent a wrong message in the society. The Opposition members boycotted the Question Hour in protest.<br /><br />Fadnavis said the Opposition was trying to create an unnecessary controversy. "Mahajan has a licence to carry weapon for last two decades. Licence holder is expected to carry the weapon and not keep it at home," he said.<br /><br />However, he agreed that the weapon was visible while the minister attended a function and necessary directives would be given to him in this regard.<br /><br />When the matter was raised in the Council, Fadnavis said, "Girish Mahajan has a licence for keeping a weapon. He is carrying it with him from the last 25 years. A licence is given only when a person needs to keep a revolver for his safety. He has not broken any law by carrying a revolver."<br /><br />The Chief Minister was replying to Sunil Tatkare (NCP), who took a jibe at Mahajan and questioned the need to carry a revolver at the children's event.<br /><br />"His revolver was tucked in his waist and a controversy was created out of it by news channels when a portion of the pistol became visible inadvertently," Fadnavis said.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Mahajan later said that his revolver is merely for self-defence and that he has not been involved in any kind of violence before.<br /><br />"I admit that the revolver was visible. But never have I pointed a revolver, or gotten involved in violence of any kind in my life. The revolver is merely for self-defence," the minister told reporters here. </p>