Ulhasnagar firing incident would echo in Parliament

Thane/Mumbai: The Ulhasnagar firing incident inside a police station involving a BJP MLA is set to echo in the Parliament with the Maha Vikas Aghadi deciding to the raise the issue on Monday even as the opposition combine in Maharashtra sought the dismissal of the Eknath Shinde-led Maha Yuti government. 

Besides, it also sought the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the grounds of deteriorating law and order. 

Fadnavis, who is also the home minister, is the architect of the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP Maha Yuti government in Maharashtra. 

On his part, Fadnavis has appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the incident. 

BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad opened fire inside the Hill Lines police station in Ulhasnagar in Thane district and injured Mahesh Gaikwad and Rahul Patil, who both belong to Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. 

Baramati MP and NCP Working President Supriya Sule said that on Monday she would raise the issue in the Parliament and would also seek an appointment with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and apprise him of the situation. “Fadnavis should immediately resign,” she said and asked who is safe if workers of the Chief Minister are attacked. 

The Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT) lashed out at the Maha Yuti dispensation. 

“The shocking firing incident is happening in the home town of Shinde and the (BJP) MLA openly says that Shinde forced him to shoot, that the Chief Minister  should resign…today, it happened at a police station. The manner in which the Chief Minister’s Office has become a den of goons, I fear that such incidents can take place even at Mantralaya,” said Raut, a Rajya Sabha member and Shiv Sena chief spokesperson. 

"Shoot out inside a police station! The ‘panaas khoke’ (fifty boxes) party and its ally, bhrashtachari jodo party (BJP) are imploding and how,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress expressed concern over the incident. 

“An incident of firing between BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and former corporator of Shinde group Mahesh Gaikwad at Ulhasnagar police station has recently taken place. BJP’s boss “Sagar” (a reference to Fadnavis’ official bungalow) is sitting in the bungalow and Shinde group’s “Boss” Varsha (the Chief Minister’s official residence) is sitting in the bungalow,” he said. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) Mumbai South MP Arvind Sawant said: "Alarming situation of Law and Order in Maharashtra!!! The allegations of accused, shooting at the police station in front of the police officer in Ulhasnagar, clearly says that this government & CM himself is protector of criminals! Who will protect the common man?”.