Mumbai: A man claiming to be a social worker on Saturday filed a criminal complaint in a court against Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil in connection with the controversial remarks made by him about B R Ambedkar and social reformer Jyotiba Phule. It was filed before special judge A P Kanade for action under provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Indian Penal Code sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153(A)(promoting enmity), 120B (Punishment for criminal conspiracy), and 504 (intentional insult).
The complaint also named Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP MLA Shivaji Kadam, Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and two other police officers alleging they acted with "common intention" to save Patil. The complainant alleged he had submitted a complaint to the police but they didn't act and hence Fadnavis (who is also the home minister of the state), the Mumbai police commissioner, and two other officials acted with common intention to save Patil.
The plea filed by Ashok Kamble, through advocate Nitin Satpute, claimed Patil had made insulting statements against Ambedkar and Jyotibai Phule. Speaking in Marathi at an event in Aurangabad on December 9, Patil, the Higher and Technical Education Minister, had said Ambedkar and Phule did not seek government grants for running educational institutions but they "begged" people to gather funds for starting schools and colleges, triggering a huge controversy.
The complainant claimed that Patil has by his words either spoken or by signs or by visible representation or otherwise promoted or attempted to promote Ill-feelings of hatred and ill-will against Ambedkar which falls under the ambit SC/ST (POA) Act. Patil has disrespected Ambedkar, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil and Phule who have been held in high esteem by members of the scheduled castes or the scheduled tribes, the plea said. The complaint accused MLA Kadam of giving provocative statements while supporting Patil.
According to the complainant, he had submitted a complaint to the police but they didn't act. Hence Fadnavis (who is also the home minister of the state), the Mumbai police commissioner, and two other officials acted with common intention to save Patil, it said. They all in common intention decided not to take cognizance of the cognizable offence which is mandatory under the provision of CrPC, the complainant said. The court will hear the matter on December 20.
Meanwhile, two persons were booked for threatening an ink attack on Maharashtra minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Chandrakant Patil, who incidentally wore a face shield while attending a function in Pimpri Chinchwad here on Saturday. Action was taken on the basis of a social media message against Patil, on whom ink was thrown recently over his statement that social reformers Babasaheb Ambedkar and Jyotiba Phule "begged" for funds rather than depending on government grants to run educational institutions.
Nationalist Congress Party functionary Vikas Lole and one Dashrath Patil have been booked by Sangvi police in Pimpri Chinchwad under Indian Penal Code sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 505 (1) (B) (statements conducing to public mischief), an official said.
They have been booked for threatening to throw ink on Patil during his visit to Pawanathadi Jatra here, the official added.
Meanwhile, one person was booked by Kothrud police for allegedly making objectionable comments about Patil on social media. The person has been charged under relevant provisions of IPC and Information Technology Act on the basis of an Instagram reel, the Kothrud police station official said. (PTI)