Is State shielding Bhide, asks Oppn.

Eye of the storm: Shiv Pratishthan founder Sambhaji Bhide, named in the Bhima-Koregaon case FIR, is seen riding pillion on a motorcycle in Sangli on Monday.  

Moves adjournment motion demanding arrest of alleged co-conspirator of the Bhima-Koregaon riots

Opposition parties moved an adjournment motion in the Assembly on Monday, demanding the arrest of Sambhaji Bhide, one of the alleged conspirators of the Bhima-Koregaon riots.

Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said, “Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide have been named in the FIR filed in the riot case, but only Ekbote has been arrested. Is the government trying to shield Bhide? The government must clarify its stand,” he said. The Congress leader said the government had been reluctant to arrest Mr. Ekbote too, but was left with no option when the Supreme Court denied him anticipatory bail.

On Monday afternoon, a delegation led by Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh president Prakash Ambedkar, who had organised a protest march demanding Mr. Bhide’s arrest, met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. “The CM has assured us that action will be initiated within eight days,” he said.

Mr Ambedkar showed an image of a Facebook post of one Raosaheb Patil, an office-bearer of Mr. Bhide’s Shiv Pratishthan, in which Mr. Patil has allegedly issued death threats to Mr. Fadnavis. “The Maharashtra Police have not acted against Patil despite him threatening the Chief Minister,” Mr. Ambedkar said.

He alleged that Mr. Bhide is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Mr. Modi had shared a photograph featuring Bhide on the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Doesn’t that tell us the entire story?” he asked.

Earlier, speaking in the Assembly, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad said Mr. Bhide has been untraceable to the police for three months. “In the same time, he held three press conferences, where he warned the government not to arrest him. Is the government hell-bent on increasing communal tension in the State?” he asked.

NCP MLA from Khed Sanjay Kadam told the Assembly that a statue of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was desecrated on Sunday night after a meeting of Mr. Bhide’s supporters.

Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil said the government has taken note of all the incidents and will initiate the required action.