Maharashtra moving towards anarchy, says BJP's Ashish Shelar on detention of Kirit Somaiya

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 20 (ANI): Maharashtra BJP MLA Ashish Shelar on Monday slammed the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for the detention of Kirit Somaiya and said that the state is moving towards 'anarchy'.

While addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Mumbai, Shelar said, "After the recent incident where Kirit Somaiya was barred from going out from his home, questions are being raised over the constitutional rights of the people in Maharashtra. Several incidents have surfaced where activists and common citizens were beaten for commenting against the government. These incidents indicate that Maharashtra government is moving towards anarchy; the law and order in the state is in question."

"Somaiya is working like a whistleblower; he is revealing the scams ever since the formation of this government. The way he was stopped from going Kolhapur is questionable," he added.

Shelar also demanded from Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to set up a judicial enquiry into the incident and to allow retired High Court judges to monitor the probe.

"This incident raises many questions on the police and administration. Under what law did they stop Somaiya? It is a violation of his fundamental rights and democratic values," he added.

Somaiya was detained at Karad Railway Station in the Satara district of Maharashtra in the early hours of Monday. He was expected to visit Kohlapur today and was en route to the district via train.

Ahead of his visit, Kolhapur District Collector had issued prohibitory orders against him and imposed Section 144, prohibiting gatherings on September 20 and 21.

The BJP leader was scheduled to visit the properties owned by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif in which he claims corruption has taken place. Somaiya had also levelled allegations of money laundering against Maharashtra Cabinet Ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Anil Parab.

BJP slammed the Maharashtra government over Somaiya's detention and had alleged that the leader was being targeted because he was exposing scams related to corrupt ministers of the government.

Earlier in the day, Mushrif said that he will file Rs 100 crore defamation suit against Somaiya.

"The allegation which is being made by Kirit Somaiya is part of BJPs big conspiracy and Chandrakant Patil is the mastermind of this. I have been very vocal about the Centre using central agencies against Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and on the issue of Parambir Singh. It is the reason I am being framed by BJP through Kirit Somaiya to stop me," he stated. (ANI)