Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Maharashtra BJP chief and revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule appealed to the Nagpur citizens to cooperate with the administration to maintain social harmony and peace.
“A tense situation has arisen in Nagpur’s Mahal area due to the unfortunate incident of stone pelting. The police administration is taking utmost precautions to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. My humble appeal to all the people of Nagpur is that you all should please cooperate with the administration. As conscious citizens of Nagpur, it is our responsibility to ensure that no untoward incident takes place in the city. Nagpur city is seen as a symbol of social harmony. We all should preserve this tradition of the city. Also, I request you to cooperate in maintaining peace in Nagpur city, without falling prey to any rumours, and with complete trust in the administration,” he said.
Bawankule further said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has already appealed to Nagpur residents to cooperate with the police in the restoration of peace.
“The police administration is handling the situation after stone pelting and a tense situation arose in the Mahal area of Nagpur. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed to the citizens to fully cooperate with the administration in this situation. We are constantly in touch with the police administration and the citizens should cooperate with them. Nagpur is a city that loves peace and shares each other’s happiness and sorrow. This has been a permanent tradition in Nagpur. In such a situation, do not believe in any rumours and fully cooperate with the administration, the Chief Minister said in his appeal,” said Bawankule.
The minister of state for home Yogesh Kadam also appealed to the Nagpur citizens not to fall victim to any misunderstanding or false news.
“The administration is firmly handling the situation, and we are all fully focused on it. We are continuously in contact with the police administration, the citizens should cooperate. Social harmony is the strength of Maharashtra and do not believe in any rumours at this time and fully cooperate with the administration,” he said. He further appealed that no one should try to take the law into their hands. “Everyone should be careful that there will be no inappropriate incident,” he said.
The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Harshwardhan Patil said that the stone-pelting and arson incident that took place in Nagpur city tonight is unnecessary and extremely unfortunate. He appealed to the people of Nagpur to maintain peace and not believe in rumours.
“People of all religions are living in Nagpur city with great dignity and happiness. Nagpur is the city of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. It is the failure of the Home Department that there is so much tension in this city, stone pelting, arson and the police do not have any foresight. For the past few days, the ministers in the state cabinet have been consciously trying to create a social divide by making provocative statements. It seems that their efforts have been successful in Nagpur. The state has many burning issues. Inflation, unemployment, no prices for agricultural products, the government has not fulfilled the promise of loan waiver, dear sisters have not received an increase in the amount, and a large number of farmers are committing suicide. This is the result of the ruling party continuously making provocative statements to divert attention from this,” he alleged.
“Nagpur is a city that preserves social harmony. While there are riots in other parts of the country, there has never been a riot in Nagpur. On Ram Navami, Hindus and Muslims pull chariots together. More Hindus than Muslims visit Tajuddin Baba’s dargah for darshan. I appeal to everyone to recognise the plot for setting Nagpur on fire for political gains and maintain peace,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP minister for ports and fisheries Nitesh Rane stirred controversy after he compared Aurangzeb’s grave with a toilet. “The grave is not worth keeping here, even if it is declared a toilet, it would not be wrong. Whatever was done to our Chhatrapati Shivaji and Sambhaji, none of their filth is worth keeping in our state and this is the stand our Chief Minister has taken and this filth is not going to stay for long. You will get the breaking news at the right time,” he remarked.
–IANS
sj/uk