The Maharashtra Congress on Monday said that there was no question of a minister resigning just because a police officer had made allegations against him. The party also raised questions on why former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh was not willing to probe the death of Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha MP Mohan Delkar, who had named the Union Territory’s administrator in a note.
“There is no question of Home Minister Anil Deshmukh resigning. How can anyone resign just because certain officer makes an allegation?” Revenue Minister and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat asked.
Mr. Thorat said that senior party leadership from Delhi held talks with State party leaders over the developments after a letter from Mr. Singh making allegations against Mr. Deshmukh became public.
In a statement issued by party’s Maharashtra in-charge H.K. Patil, he said that Mr. Thorat and Public Works Department Minister Ashok Chavan would speak to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the latter would take the final call in the matter.
The Congress, however, highlighted Mr. Singh’s mention of Delkar’s death and his reluctance to probe the matter. “We have never heard of such excuse. If a crime has occurred in Mumbai, then it is the responsibility of the local police to investigate it. How can anyone deny that?” Mr. Thorat said.
Delkar in his suicide note had named Praful K. Patel, administrator of Dadara and Nagar Haveli. Mr. Patel, a former Home Minister of Gujarat, is known as a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.