Fadnavis slams Narayan Rane over his allegations against BJP

Mumbai: Slamming senior Congress leader Narayan Rane over his allegation that criminals were joining the BJP, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others.

While replying to a debate on the issue of the brutal gangrape and murder of a minor girl in Ahmednagar's Kopardi village, Fadnavis also said that a picture of one of the accused shown by him during a media briefing had already been published in newspapers.

During his speech in the state Legislative Council yesterday, Rane was acerbic in his criticism of the BJP, alleging criminals were joining the party whose character, he claimed, has changed over the years.

Reacting to it, Fadnavis said in the Upper House today that, "Rane had said there are three CMs governing the state. I want to tell him I am the only CM and I am capable enough. Common people will judge my work."

"Look who is saying BJP is a party of goons. If I list out the number of cases filed against you (Rane) in Sindhudurg, it will be proved which is the party of goons. 'Jo kaanch ke gharon mein rehte hain, woh dusron pe patthar nahin phekte' (those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others)," he said.

Also, responding to Rane's charge that a Cabinet minister had engaged in an immoral act with a woman officer, Fadnavis said he should have immediately informed him rather than speaking on it in the Council.

"It was expected of you to immediately give me the details of what transpired. By speaking about it here, do you intend to play politics over the issue Today ministers are asking one another if they were involved. Shoot and scoot policy is being played out by the opposition here," he said.

Rane had yesterday said that he was recently informed by a woman officer that a senior Cabinet minister engaged in "immoral behaviour" towards her.

He, however, did not name the minister or the party to which he belongs.Fadnavis said that if any of the ministers is found to be

guilty, he will not be allowed to sit on the Chair for even a minute, but no minister will resign only on the basis of allegations of the opposition.

Listing out the IPC sections under which cases have been filed against Rane, Fadnavis said, "I don't want to threaten anyone. It is not in my nature. I am a calm natured person. Not in my nature to put on revengeful inquiries against anyone. Ranesaheb, you are extremely cultured and wise. Why are you afraid of any inquiry?"

He said that Rane had in the past spoken about Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Manikrao Thakrey as well.

"Everything that Rane says should thus not be taken seriously. He has a different view about the same person after a few months," he said.

Fadnavis further said that the POCSO court hearing the Kopardi gangrape and murder of the minor girl will be given fast track status and that the government has irrefutable evidences against the accused.

"Dhananjay Munde had said that my act of showing the picture of the accused may have consequences on the case. But, did you not do the same thing in the press conference? It is a different matter that you showed the wrong photo."

"Anyways, the picture that I showed has already been published in papers and we have irrefutable evidence against the accused. There is thus no way in which the accused can take benefit," Fadnavis said.