If celebrities in Mumbai and village sarpanches are not safe, what about common people: Nana Patole

Mumbai: If celebrities in Mumbai and village sarpanches are not safe, what about the common people, asked state Congress President Nana Patole amid the knife attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan.

“The attack on actor Saif Ali Khan should not be viewed through a religious lens. In the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, there is no place for caste or religious discrimination,” said Patole, a former Speaker.

“There is no need to reiterate that Maharashtra has descended into a state of lawlessness. It is unfortunate that Maharashtra is being discussed as a 'lawless state' in Delhi today. The BJP government has tarnished the state's reputation and should stop creating fear to cling to power. Law and order have completely collapsed, with celebrities unsafe in Mumbai and sarpanches unsafe in villages. What about the safety of the common people in such a scenario,” said Patole.

“Criminals have developed a mindset that no one can harm them. While the Home Minister is primarily responsible for law and order, what else can one expect when 65 per cent of the cabinet ministers are tainted? However, this situation must change," Patole said, targeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Home Minister.

Patole also highlighted the murder of Masajog's sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh and the death of Somnath Suryavanshi from Parbhani due to police brutality. Linking such incidents to caste or religion would be wrong, he said.

"The Maratha-OBC conflict was orchestrated by the BJP alliance government, sidelining cores of issues faced by the people. Farmers are not getting fair prices for their produce, suicides are increasing, debt burdens are growing, youth are grappling with unemployment, and inflation is skyrocketing. These are the real issues. Everyone must raise their voice against the government instead of falling into caste or religious disputes," he urged.