'Mumbai cops pressurised for anti-Assam protest permit'

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vinod Tawde on Monday alleged that a Maharashtra minister brought "pressure" on Mumbai police to grant permission to the Raza Academy's meeting at Azad Maidan to express concern over the Assam situation on Saturday that resulted in violence, leaving two dead.

Tawde, who is Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative council, told a press conference in Pune that the permission granted to the organisation, which had a suspicious track record of inciting violence, was a questionable decision on part of the Mumbai police, which acted under pressure from a minister. He, however, refused name the minister.

Tawde, who called on Maharashtra Governor K Shankarnarayanan, presently in the city, said the governor was "concerned" about the law and order and drought-like situation in the state and would be talking with the government on the issue.

Tawde said state home minister R R Patil had completely failed to ensure law and order in Maharashtra and demanded bifurcation of the home portfolio.

"The home portfolio should be bifurcated into social and law administration departments and a tough minister should be put in charge of law and order situation," he said.

Patil should be given work related to social security under the home portfolio, he added.