MVA seemingly on collision course with Centre over Koregaon-Bhima probe

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Maharashtra seems to be on a collision course with the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre on the issue of Koregaon Bhima probe being given to the NIA.

Three days after the Ministry of Home Affairs handed over the probe to the Centre, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray maintained complete silence.

However, Congress leaders and Sharad Pawar-led NCP slammed the NDA government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Pawar, the architect of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance government, wanted a Special Investigation Team to probe the Koregaon Bhima episode in detail.

Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that the Centre's decision is unconstitutional. "We are seeking legal steps before proceeding further," Deshmukh said.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar reminded the Centre of the "federal structure". "The Centre and state governments should do their respective work... the Centre can intervene when an issue of national-level crops up," Pawar stated.

According to him, the MVA government wanted to go to the episode's root, check facts and avoid any form of clashes.