Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadanvis hits back at Rajdeep Sardesai over beef ban, Maria transfer

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday clarified that the decision to ban meat in the state was not taken by his government and that no new order had been sent to any local body.

Fadnavis in an open letter to senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai over his criticism of the state government said that a section of the media, without having sound knowledge, bashes the government with an agenda.

In an open letter written and published in Hindustan Times, Fadnavis said, "Let me bring some clarity to the first issue you have raised. My state government did not take the decision to ban meat. Not a single new order went from the government to any local body. The Congress government in 2004 took the decision to close a slaughter-house for two days in Paryushan Parva. It was conveyed to all municipal corporations then."

He further added, "Since then all municipal corporations including Mira-Bhayandar started implementing it. Additionally municipal corporations like Mumbai and Mira-Bhayandar adopted resolutions to ban it for additional days within their own powers, which in the case of Mumbai dates back to 1994. Surprisingly, none of you ever objected to it until we came to power. Obviously you were comfortable with the pseudo-secular image of the previous government, howsoever corrupt and non-performing it was."

Fadnavis also slammed Sardesai for linking Sheena Bora murder case with Rakesh Maria's transfer. He wrote, "In the case of Rakesh Maria, you seem to be confused. Your post-script says the Sheena Bora murder case should not have assumed the kind of importance it was accorded by the media. Then why did you choose to write on it, linking it with the transfer of the city police chief?"

The open letter further reads, "A police chief is not an investigating officer but just a supervisory authority. I would like to tell you that the practice of promoting senior people, a few days in advance, is not new. Such decisions are taken keeping in mind the objective to let the new one who is going to take over understand the prevailing situation. The months of September and October are full of festivals, including the Ganesh Festival, Eid celebrations and Navratri."

Clarifying the government's decision, he said, "If the government thought that instead of changing a police commissioner in the midst of festivities it was better to put a new person in place before the festive season started, what’s so wrong about it?"

Fadnavis termed Sardesai's take on sedition a classic product of the biased mind and added, "I want to ask you whether the state is expected to convey a decision given by the hon’ble high court to the police or not?"

The chief minister also slammed Sardesai for getting disturbed by an "imaginary situation that there won’t be a piece of meat in your platter" when farmers were taking the extreme step of suicide because they had nothing to eat.

Towards the end, Fadnavis said that his mantra was to 'perform or perish’ and time alone would decide his destiny. "Whether there is a ban on meat or not, a common man expects roti or rice in his plate. And I am more concerned about it than anything else."