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Tag: Sanjay Raut

  • Sanjay Raut should be careful before making comments, says Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Days after Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut suggested that NCP chief Sharad Pawar should take over as UPA chairperson, Maharashtra Revenue Minister and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat on Tuesday said Raut should be careful before making any comments.

    The Shiv Sena shares power with the Congress and NCP in Maharashtra, but it is not part of the Congress-led UPA.

    On March 20, Raut said the need of the hour is to strengthen the United Progressive Alliance so that it emerges as a strong alternative to the BJP, and Pawar should take over as UPA chairperson.

    ​ALSO READ | Had warned that Waze could create problems for Maharashtra govt: Sanjay Raut

    Talking to reporters here, Thorat said Sonia Gandhi will “remain head of the UPA for a long time”.

    Asked about Raut’s comments, the minister said, “Raut is a senior leader. He should be careful before making any comments.”

    The Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, of which Raut is executive editor, had also recently created a flutter by stating in an editorial that if Pawar became the UPA chief, it will benefit the alliance.

    Parties such as Shiv Sena and Akali Dal should also come under the UPA umbrella to take on the BJP, it had said.

    Maharashtra Congress leaders recently asked the Shiv Sena leader to desist from making such comments as his party is not even part of the UPA.

    State Congress chief Nana Patole had also asked if Raut was the spokesperson of Pawar.

  • Had warned that Waze could create problems for Maharashtra govt: Sanjay Raut

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday claimed he had warned some party leaders that Sachin Waze, the suspended Mumbai police officer who is currently in the NIA’s custody, could create problems for the Maharashtra government.

    Raut also said the Sachin Waze episode taught some lessons to the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra.

    The Sena, NCP and Congress share power in the state.

    The National Investigation Agency (NIA) earlier this month arrested Waze over his alleged role in planting an explosive-laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambanis residence in south Mumbai on February 25.

    READ| Ambani bomb scare: NIA suppressing evidence in Sachin Waze case, alleges Congress

    He was earlier also suspended in 2004 over the custodial death of Ghatkopar bomb blasts accused Khwaja Yunus, and was reinstated into the police force last year.

    “When there was plan to reinstate Sachin Waze into the Maharashtra police force, I had informed some leaders that he could create problems for us.

    His behaviour and style of working could lead to some troubles for the government,” Raut told a TV channel. The Rajya Sabha member further said he cannot reveal names of those leaders, but “they are well aware of my conversation with them”.

    Raut said he has been a journalist for some decades and hence, knows about Waze. A person is not bad, but sometimes a particular situation makes him so, he said.

    “This whole incident of Waze’s activities and controversies thereafter taught a lesson to the MVA government.

    It was good in a way that it happened and taught us some lessons,” the Sena’s chief spokesperson said.

    On Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray backing the suspended police officer, Raut said they did not have enough information about Waze and his activities.

    “The chief minister supported him, but with his (Waze’s) activities having surfaced, there is no reason to shield the officer,” he said.

    On the speculation in political circles that Union Home Minister Amit Shah met NCP leader Sharad Pawar in Ahmedabad on Saturday, Raut said Shah is known for holding several meetings in the Gujarat city with various leaders.

    “There is nothing to raise eyebrows over the rumoured meeting between Sharad Pawar and BJP leader Amit Shah. In fact, a dialogue between leaders of opposition (rival) parties is good. I am saying this provided they actually met each other in Ahmedabad,” he said.

    Raut further said even if Pawar and Shah had met, there was nothing to read too much into it.

    “If it was really a secret meeting, how come it (news about it) came out,” he said.

    Raut also said the three-party alliance in Maharashtra will not be affected by the outcome of the Assembly polls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu or other states.

    On his remark in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ where he called Maharashtra NCP leader Anil Deshmukh an accidental home minister, Raut said Deshmukh is a gentleman.

    “He must have gone through a lot of trouble and hardship while handling a crucial portfolio like the home ministry.

    I had even spoken to him and told him that he would face lot of criticism,” the Sena leader said.

  • No one should play spoilsport in coalition govt: Ajit Pawar

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said no one should play spoilsport in a coalition government, after Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut called NCP leader Anil Deshmukh an accidental home minister.

    The allotment of cabinet berths is the prerogative of head of every ruling party in a coalition, Pawar, who is also an NCP leader, told reporters in Baramati town of Pune.

    Notably, former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh in a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on March 20 claimed Home Minister Deshmukh wanted police officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly from bars and hotels.

    Deshmukh has dismissed the allegations against him.

    The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress share power in Maharashtra.

    In his weekly column Rokhthok in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, Raut on Sunday called Deshmukh an accidental home minister, claiming he got the post after senior NCP leaders like Jayant Patil and Dilip Walse-Patil refused the responsibility.

    Reacting to it, Ajit Pawar said the three parties have formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra.

    “The allotment of cabinet berths is the prerogative of head of every political party (in the coalition).

    No one should play spoilsport when the three-party government is functioning properly,” the deputy chief minister said.

    He further said Sharad Pawar, being head of the NCP, takes all decisions including allotment of cabinet berths to the party leaders.

    A similar method is being followed by the Congress and Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar said.

    “It should be respected instead of making any unwarranted comments,” he said.

  • Ex-HC judge to probe allegations against me: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh

    By PTI
    NAGPUR: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Sunday said a retired judge of high court will conduct a probe into the allegations of corruption levelled against him by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh.

    The truth will come out after a probe into the matter, Deshmukh told reporters at the Nagpur airport.

    On March 20, Singh in a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray created a flutter in Maharashtra’s political circles by claiming that Deshmukh wanted police officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly from bars and hotels.

    Deshmukh had then trashed the allegations against him.

    Under fire over handling of the bomb scare outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house in Mumbai, the state government on March 17 transferred Singh from the post of city police commissioner to the low-key home guard department.

    Deshmukh on Sunday said he had asked Chief Minister Thackeray to initiate an inquiry into the allegations made against him by Param Bir Singh.

    “The chief minister and the state government have decided that a retired judge of high court will conduct a probe into the allegations against me. Whatever is the truth will come out,” he said.

    Deshmukh was replying to a query on Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s claim that he was made the state home minister accidentally.

    In his weekly column Rokhthok in the party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, Raut on Sunday called Deshmukh an accidental home minister, claiming he got the post after senior NCP leaders like Jayant Patil and Dilip Walse-Patil refused the responsibility.

    Raut also said the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government in Maharashtra did not have damage control machinery as was seen after Param Bir Singh claimed that Deshmukh asked cops to collect Rs 100 crore a month.

  • Some people in Delhi preparing to form UPA-II, claims Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut 

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said that “some people in Delhi” are preparing to form UPA-II, which is why the existing UPA needs to be strengthened if the opposition is to fight the BJP.

    He made the statement while speaking to reporters in Delhi, a day after he reiterated that NCP chief Sharad Pawar should head the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) that is currently being led by the Congress.

    Replying to a question, Raut said the “drama” of forming “third, fourth or fifth fronts” has failed so far, hence the existing UPA needs to be strengthened.

    “Some people in Delhi are preparing to form UPA-II. Hence, I am saying this out of concern. The UPA-I has to be strengthened,” he said, without specifying who these people in the national capital are.

    He said the importance of the present-day UPA will reduce if the UPA-II is formed and then the opposition parties will have nothing in their hands.

    On Raut’s suggestion that Pawar should lead the UPA, Maharashtra Congress leaders had on Thursday asked the Shiv Sena leader to desist from making such comments as his party is not even part of the alliance.

    When asked about the Maharashtra Congress leaders’ comments and its state unit chief Nana Patole also questioning Raut if he is the spokesperson of Pawar, the Shiv Sena leader replied, “Maybe. Sharad Pawar is a leader of the country. All know what Sharad Pawar or Uddhav Thackeray are.”

    Raut said one need not be part of the UPA to speak about it.

    “The issue of the UPA is not of a state, but a national one. So the people from the state should not talk about it,” he added.

    The Rajya Sabha member said that discussion needs to be held on strengthening the alliance of the opposition parties if they are to take on the BJP.

    “If the (Congress) leaders in Maharashtra are not getting this, then they need to study… they are our colleagues, but they should understand.

    “We will give a reply if Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi are to speak on this issue. But they are not speaking. They are also analysing this (the situation),” he added.

    The Parliamentarian also said that Maharashtra Congress leaders should also make it clear whether they think the UPA should not be strengthened.

    “Sonia Gandhi is leading the UPA. She has led it in an excellent manner for 17 years. But considering the future politics, the issue needs to be discussed,” he said.

  • BJP slams Sanjay Raut for rallying behind Anil Deshmukh despite corruption allegations

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra BJP leader Pravin Darekar on Thursday hit out at Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut for his refusal to seek state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s resignation despite “serious” allegations levelled against him by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh.

    Singh had last week written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in which he alleged that Deshnmukh wanted police officers to collect Rs 100 crore per month from bars and hotels.

    ALSO READ | Issue of ex-Mumbai top cop’s letter now over for MVA: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

    Darekar said, “Sena leader Sanjay Raut had no problem in seeking the resignation of Sanjay Rathod, a minister who belonged to his own party, over his alleged involvement in the suspicious death of a young woman last month.”

    Rathod resigned as state minister in February.

    “However, he is refusing to demand NCP leader and home minister Anil Deshmukh’s resignation despite serious charges levelled against him by Param Bir Singh. Is Raut a spokesperson of the NCP or the Shiv Sena?” the Leader of Opposition in state Legislative Council said.

    Raut is throwing his weight behind Deshmukh and said there is no need for his resignation, Darekar said.

  • Sanjay Raut says Sharad Pawar should helm UPA, Congress reminds him of its MVA support

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is “paralysed” now, and hence a non-Congress leader like Sharad Pawar should head that coalition.

    He made the statement while speaking to reporters in New Delhi.

    “The UPA is paralysed now. I think NCP chief Sharad Pawar should lead the UPA at the national level,” he said.

    Raut has made this suggestion a few times in the recent past.

    When asked whether other parties support his demand, he said, “I don’t think any regional party in the country has objection to Pawar heading the UPA. All of us are opposing the BJP at the moment.”

    Reacting to Raut’s statement, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “Shiv Sena is not even part of the UPA. Had it been part of the UPA, I would have understood. He (Raut) should desist from making such remarks.”

    Another Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha member Husain Dalwai said, “Shiv Sena got more seats (in the last Maharashtra Assembly election), hence it got the chief minister’s post. But the Sena is still not part of the UPA. There is no need to take Raut’s statement seriously.”

    “Raut should not forget that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government could be formed because the Congress extended its support. He should not say something like this and stoke a controversy,” Dalwai said.

    After the 2019 Assembly poll results, the Shiv Sena had joined hands with the NCP and the Congress to form the MVA government to keep the BJP away from power.

    Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray heads the government.

  • Issue of ex-Mumbai top cop’s letter now over for MVA: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said the controversy surrounding former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh’s allegation of corruption against Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh is now over for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state.

    He made the statement while speaking to reporters in New Delhi.

    “The issue of that letter (written by Singh) is now over for the MVA government. Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has also welcomed any inquiry into this matter,” Raut said.

    “Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Anil Deshmukh were of the opinion that an inquiry be set up to probe the claims made by Singh in the letter. As a retired judge would be monitoring the inquiry, there is no need for removing Deshmukh from his post,” he said adding there is no precedent for it.

    It would be clear who tried to malign the image of the state, the Shiv Sena MP said.

    Singh had sent an eight-page letter to Thackeray on March 20, claiming that Deshmukh wanted police officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly from bars and hotels.

    However, the minister had refuted the allegation.

    Raut also criticised Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for not taking any decision on the names of 12 candidates recommended by the state cabinet for their nomination to the Legislative Council from his quota.

    “Is the governor doing PhD on those 12 candidates? Does he want to achieve a record of sitting on the names for maximum number of days? He is not respecting the constitutionally-recommended names of 12 candidates,” he said.

    Reacting to a query related to a Maharashtra BJP delegation meeting the governor on Wednesday, the Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member said, “The opposition in Maharashtra should respect their post and duty. The opposition leader should act seriously, otherwise people will call them fools. They would become a laughing stock.”

    The BJP delegation led by Devendra Fadnavis met the governor on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum, urging him to seek a “status report” from the state chief secretary on the law and order situation in the state.

  • Param Bir Singh an important weapon of for opposition now: Sanjay Raut

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh, whose allegation of corruption against Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has triggered a crisis in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, is the “most important weapon” for the opposition right now.

    As the demand for Deshmukh’s resignation grew louder, Raut said if the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) feels that there is no evidence against him then what is wrong with it.

    “If the government is ready to take up the challenge for a probe then what is the problem,” he posed.

    Deshmukh belongs to the NCP.

    The NCP has strongly backed Deshmukh and ruled out any possibility of his sacking.

    Raut said Singh’s letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray cannot be proof against Deshmukh.

    He expressed confidence that the Mahavikas Aghadi government will complete its full term and stressed there was no difference among the alliance partners, the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.

    “Param Bir Singh is an important weapon of the opposition now. Until yesterday, the opposition did not have any trust in him. Look at the opposition statements against him on the Sushant Singh Rajput and Kangana Ranaut cases. But he is a trusted officer for the opposition now.”

    “The opposition is trying lodge fireballs at the government. If the opposition wants to fire on the government using Param Bir Singh’s shoulders then it will boomerang,” he said.

    When asked about the demand from some quarters to impose President’s rule in the state, Raut said, “Instead, the Centre should be dismissed because this is an encroachment on the rights of the state through its agencies.”

    Singh, a senior IPS officer, who was transferred to the low-key Home Guards on March 17 following the arrest of police officer Sachin Waze in the case related to the bomb scare near Mukesh Ambani’s house Antilia, in a letter to the Maharashtra chief minister said he was made a scapegoat.

    In the eight-page letter to Chief Minister Thackeray, Singh alleged that Deshmukh used to call police officers to his official residence and give them a “collection target” from bars, restaurants and other establishments.

    On Monday, he moved to the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe into his charges.

    In Lok Sabha, Shiv Sena member Vinayak Raut strongly defended the MVA government and claimed that the BJP has been hatching a conspiracy to defame the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP dispensation for the last 14 months so that a BJP government can be installed there.

    “The issue is nothing but a part of BJP’s big conspiracy,” Vinakay Raut claimed.

    He also dubbed Singh as the “most corrupt police officer”.

    The Maharashtra government on March 17 transferred Singh and appointed senior IPS officer Hemant Nagrale as the new commissioner of Mumbai Police.

  • Sharad Pawar should head UPA, says Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said NCP chief Sharad Pawar should take over as UPA chairperson.

    The need of the hour is to strengthen the United Progresstive Alliance so that it emerges as a strong alternative to the BJP, Raut told reporters in Nashik.

    “Congress president Sonia Gandhi has handled the responsibility (as UPA chairperson) very well. She is unwell now and not politically active….Pawar should become UPA chief.

    If UPA emerges stronger, the Congress too will benefit,” the Rajya Sabha member said.

    The Sena shares power with the Congress and the NCP in Maharashtra, but it is not part of the Congress-led UPA.

    The Sena mouthpiece `Saamana’, of which Raut is executive editor, had recenlty created a flutter by stating in an editorial that if Pawar became UPA chief, it will benefit the alliance.

    Parties such as Shiv Sena and Akali Dal should also come under the UPA umbrella to take on the BJP, it had said.