Culprit in Parbhani incident was arrested promptly, violence unacceptable: Fadnavis

Mumbai, Dec 12 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the government promptly made an arrest after a replica of the Constitution was damaged in Parbhani, yet violent protests took place which was unacceptable.

The accused, who allegedly damaged the replica, was a mentally unstable man, Fadnavis told reporters in Delhi.

A bandh was called on Wednesday after the glass-encased replica of the Constitution near Dr B R Ambedkar’s statue outside the Parbhani railway station was found damaged the previous evening. But the shut-down took a violent turn when a mob indulged in arson and vandalised shops, vehicles and even the district collector’s office.

“The accused, a mentally unstable man who was involved in the vandalising, has been arrested. Still, despite action being taken, there was violence. This is not acceptable. Protests can be held by abiding by the Constitution,” the chief minister said.

Elsewhere, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole demanded suspension of the Parbhani Superintendent of Police and stringent punishment for those behind the “desecration” of the Constitution replica.

Police should stop “atrocities” against Dr Ambedkar’s followers in Parbhani, he said.

“The incident in Parbhani involving desecration of the Constitution is highly condemnable. It is a grave insult to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and the millions of people who revere the Constitution,” Patole said.

“While Parbhani was burning, the chief minister and two deputy CMs were busy distributing ministries….People who do not respect the Constitution are in power, it is leading to such incidents,” the Congress leader added.

After the incident, police reportedly resorted to inhuman violence against Ambedkarites, he claimed, seeking inquiry into these “atrocities.”

Congress would question the government on this incident during the winter session of the assembly, he said, while appealing people to protest peacefully.