Ex-home minister refutes rebel Sena MLAs' claim of Uddhav as CM denying Shinde security

After rebel Shiv Sena MLAs alleged that then Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had denied additional security for Eknath Shinde despite a threat from naxals, former state Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil dismissed those allegations.

Three rebel Sena legislators – Suhas Kande, Dada Bhuse and former Minister of State for Home (Rural) Shamburaj Desai on Friday alleged that Thackeray had denied ‘Z plus’ security cover to Shinde, who is now the Maharashtra Chief Minister.

Speaking to the media on Saturday (July 23), Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Walse-Patil, who was the Home Minister in the Thackeray-led government, said, “There were no instructions from the then chief minister that Eknath Shinde should not be provided security.”

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“Eknath Shinde was provided adequate security. His son had given a letter requesting for ‘Z’ plus security to Eknath Shinde. But Shinde had never sought security for himself. Following the threat received by him, Shinde’s security was stepped up,” he added.

Further, he stated, “The decision to provide security is taken by an expert committee. After Eknath Shinde’s son gave the letter, we tightened his security. His security was equal to the one provided to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister.”

Shinde was ‘guardian minister’ for the naxal-affected Gadchiroli in the Thackeray government besides being minister for Urban Development.

In February, two months after 26 naxals were killed in police action in Gadchiroli, he had received a threatening letter, according to police.

Shinde supporters Kande and Desai told a news channel that Thackeray had directed that Shinde’s security should not be upgraded.

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Police had informed Thackeray and then home minister (Walse-Patil) that naxals had come to Mumbai to kill Shinde, claimed Kande.

“Still, security was not provided to him. Anti-Hindutva people were given security, then why not a Hindutva leader?” he asked.

Desai told the same TV channel that he got a call from Thackeray asking if the home department had held any meeting about upgrading Shinde’s security.

“I told him that a meeting was being held that day. I was given clear directions that security cannot be upgraded,” he claimed.

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Shinde became chief minister last month with the BJP support after toppling the Thackeray-led Sena-NCP-Congress government.

Deepak Kesarkar, spokesperson of the Shinde-led faction of the Sena, told reporters that Desai had told him that he got a call at 8 am one day, instructing him that Shinde’s security should not be upgraded.

Kesarkar, however, declined to say who was the caller.

But Congress leader Satej Patil, who was Minister of State Home (Urban) in the Thackeray government, told reporters that a committee headed by the chief secretary decides who should get what category of security, and the home minister or even chief minister do not interfere with its decisions.

“Shambhuraj Desai and I had no say in such meetings. Shinde was with the Shiv Sena, why would the chief minister decide against providing him security? As guardian minister of Gadchiroli district, Shinde also had additional police security. I don’t think there is any truth in these allegations,” Patil said.

Sena leader and Member of Legislative Council Sachin Ahir, who belongs to the Thackeray faction, also termed the allegation as “wrong.” There is a committee which takes decisions about providing security to any person, he said.

(With inputs from agencies)