After almost a week’s drama, the state government has finally given Ramesh Bagwe, minister of state for home, a clean chit. Both, the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), cleared Bagwe of all charges levelled against him and said that no action would be taken against the minister.
The Congress has even gone a step further and urged the government to act against bureaucrats who try to enter into one-upmanship with politicians. Congress state unit chief Manikrao Thakre has urged chief minister Ashok Chavan to conduct an enquiry into the happenings of last week.
“The entire episode has not only tarnished the image of Congress, but also of the state government,” said Thakre. “Bagwe gave me all the details and it was evident that the case of kidnapping against him did not exist. Despite that, if any police officer claims that Bagwe is an accused, then it is highly objectionable.”
Even NCP leader RR Patil, who is also the home minister and Bagwe’s boss, said that almost all the cases against Bagwe are old. “In all the major cases he has been acquitted. I will make a detailed statement about the entire episode,” Patil said.
