Where were they on 26/11?
Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan announced a high-level probe to investigate if any of the top officials were guilty of dereliction of duty during the 26/11 terror attack. Shailesh Gaikwad reports.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Wednesday announced a high-level probe to investigate if any of the top officials were guilty of dereliction of duty during the 26/11 terror attack.
Chavan made the announcement in response to the demands made in the State Legislature by the Opposition for removal of state Director General of Police AN Roy, city Police Commissioner Hassan Gafoor and state Home Secretary Chitkala Zutshi.
“A high-level inquiry will be conducted and the responsibility will be fixed on the officers if they were found guilty of any lapses on their part. Accordingly, the action will be taken,” said Chavan.
The chief minister did not give the details of the probe or who would conduct the same. He also said the government would wait for the investigation by the Crime Branch into the 26/11 terror attack to be completed. “Let the inquiry reach a conclusive step. The blame game would not help at this stage,” he said.
Earlier, Opposition leaders Ramdas Kadam (Shiv Sena) and Eknath Khadse (BJP) had demanded the resignation of the three top state officials.
“If the political leaders like chief minister, deputy chief minister and union home minister resign over the attack, the officials who were supposed to be handling the routine police functioning should also go,” said Khadse.
He also asked the government to find out how many top officials were actually on the field when the terror attacks took place.
“The three officers (Hemant Karkare and others) who were killed by the terrorists were not responsible for the security of the area. Still, they did not bother about jurisdiction (formalities) and rushed to counter the terrorists. But where were the officers who were supposed to be in charge of the area under attack?” Khadse asked.
The Opposition, the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party, members were not happy with Chavan’s announcement and wanted immediate action against Roy and Gafoor.
In protest, they resorted to shouting slogans and disturbed the proceedings of the Assembly.