In my opinion, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra is wanting to take leverage on the Sachin Waze episode by shamming and embarrassing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, which constitutes the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Indian National Congress.
During the Sushant Singh Rajput episode, too, the BJP played its reel and rhetoric superbly by introducing individuals and celebrities who publicly questioned the shoddy investigation by the Maharashtra government. The BJP’s spokespersons, leaders and supporters routinely took turns to highlight the conflicts and contradictions that Uddhav Thackeray was poorly portraying. No doubt, the BJP massively gained in the Bihar Assembly elections during this time, furthering its tally from 53 to 74 seats, thanks to Sushant’s ‘Son of the soil’ image.
The party is yet again leaving no stone unturned as is evident in the Sachin Waze episode. Why is Devendra Fadnavis jumping the ship on the matter of Parambir Singh and Sachin Waze? Sachin Waze has been arrested by the National Investigative Agency for his alleged involvement in the bomb scare that took place right outside Mukesh Ambani’s Antillia residence in South Mumbai on February 25.
Mukesh Ambani is already protected under Z-plus security, as any threat or intimidation to one of India’s most powerful corporate tycoon has to be dealt with sternly and strictly. Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the Scorpio found with gelatin sticks outside the Ambani residence, was found dead on March 5.
Equally surprising and stunning was Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh’s shunting transfer to the Home Guards department, as Sachin Waze, who has been a blue-eyed boy of the Mumbai Police, found a special mention by his colleagues for bypassing the authority of his immediate superiors in the department.
Don’t forget, Waze had the privilege of being the encounter specialist of Mumbai Police. Together with Parambir Singh, he has held many achievements, appreciations and honours. Waze was heading the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Mumbai Police before being arrested by the National Investigative Agency after his unsatisfactory replies and responses.
For me, until the verdict is out, it will be hard to predict if Sachin Hindurao Waze was acting at the behest of the Maharashtra sarkaar to give the Ambanis a lesson or two over their proximity with the ruling dispensation at the Centre. Parambir Singh’s letter addressed to the Maharashtra CM about Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s wrongdoings pinpoints that everything was not alright with the Maharashtra Police. The police force has been made to compromise and its dignity and decorum has been bureaucratised in a bid to willingly make the officers obedient and loyal to power.
Regardless of the political positions and sides, it would be better if the opposition in the state stays calm and quite, pressing for a thorough probe into the matter instead of rushing to excite its cadres.