Will recover Nagpur violence damage cost, bulldozer will roll if needed: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday (March 22) that the bulldozer will roll if necessary, when asked if perpetrators of violence in Nagpur will face the "Uttar Pradesh-style" action.

Addressing the media, he said the government would recover the cost of property damaged during the violence from rioters, and if they failed to compensate, their properties would be seized and sold to recover the losses.

Replying to a query whether "bulldozer action" will be initiated against rioters in Nagpur on the lines of Uttar Pradesh, Fadnavis said, "The Maharashtra government has its own style of working....bulldozer will roll when necessary".

Also Read: Nagpur violence: Man injured on March 17 dies in hospital

"Wherever wrong things are happening, they will be crushed. Nobody (perpetrators) will be spared," he added.

Fadnavis promises strict action

He emphasised that strict action would be taken against those who attacked police officers during the unrest.

Fadnavis stressed that the incident cannot be termed "intelligence failure", but the intelligence (gathering) could have been better.

"Police will be alert. We won't tolerate any kind of disturbance," he said.

He said 104 individuals have been identified so far, following an analysis of CCTV footage and video recordings. Action has been initiated against 92 people, including 12 minors, as per the law.

Violence after rumours

The violence erupted on March 17, after rumours spread that a “chadar” with religious inscriptions had been burnt during protests led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

The clashes resulted in widespread stone-pelting and arson across several parts of the city, leaving 33 police personnel, including three Deputy Commissioner of Police-rank officers, injured.

Also Read: Nagpur violence: 14 more held, 105 arrested so far

Fadnavis said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Nagpur on March 30 would proceed as planned, unaffected by the violence.

‘Cost of damage will be recovered’

"The cost of properties damaged during Nagpur violence will be recovered from rioters and the failure to pay up would lead to the seizure and selling of their properties to recover losses. My government will not rest until those responsible for attacking the police are found and dealt with sternly," said Fadnavis, who also heads the Home Ministry.

He said the situation in Nagpur is calm now, and efforts are underway to relax the curfew imposed in certain areas.

"Riots broke out only in parts of the city, while 80 per cent of Nagpur wasn't impacted," he added.

Fadnavis stated that the distribution of compensation for victims would begin soon and that 68 social media posts that aggravated the situation had been identified and deleted. He said those who circulated inflammatory content would be charged as co-accused for their role in inciting violence.

Probe underway

Fadnavis further said it was too early to comment on a foreign or Bangladeshi link to the riots as the probe is underway.

"However, the Malegaon connection can be seen (in violence) as one of the accused belongs to a political party from Malegaon who could be seen helping rioters," he said without taking the name of Minority Democratic Party leader Fahim Khan, arrested for sedition.

Also Read: Nagpur violence: Cyber cell identifies over 140 online posts with objectionable content

When asked if rioters behaved indecently with a female police constable, the chief minister said he had spoken with the police commissioner (who told him) that the purported incident didn't take place.

"Rioters had thrown stones at female police constables," he admitted.

Notably, an FIR had stated that a group of rioters allegedly touched a woman constable inappropriately and tried to disrobe her during the violence.

‘No political angle to violence’

Responding to speculation that the riot in his hometown was orchestrated to target him politically, Fadnavis said, "It is foolish to say such things. There is no political angle to the violence ".

During his first visit to Nagpur after the violence on Friday, the chief minister assessed the situation and chaired a meeting with senior police and administrative officers at the police commissionerate.

Also Read: Nagpur violence: FIR against VHP, Bajrang Dal leaders for 'hurting religious sentiments'

When asked if the Congress was politicising the issue by dispatching a committee to visit the violence-hit areas, Fadnavis pointed out that one of the members of the visiting panel is an accused in the Akola violence case.

"If rioters are coming to enquire about riots, it is akin to appeasement politics," he added.

Nagpur Police had said 105 persons have been held so far in connection with the violence including Fahim Khan.

(With agency inputs)